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St. Mary's Episcopal Church in West Jefferson:
Ben Long's "Mystery of Faith" FrescoDecember 2010All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2010
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After serving 2 years in Vietnam, Long studied the art of fresco painting with Pietro Annigoni in Florence Italy for 8 years. He returned to the U.S. and looked for projects for his fresco painting skills.
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At a reception in Blowing Rock, North Carolina given by artist Philip Moose, Long met Father Faulton Hodge who was responsible for 2 small churches in the local mountains.
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It is told that Father Hodge agreed to let Long paint in the church without knowing what a fresco was. Long and his associates drew much attention while working on the paintings and fresco and were supported with food and lodging by several local citizens, some of whom also served as models.
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The painting to the left is in the church. It was painted by artist Philip Moose who is credited with introducing Ben Long to Episcopal priest Faulton Hodge. The painting below is by Tony Griffin, Ben Long's brother-in-law, who studied with him in Florence. This painting is also in the church.
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To learn more about visiting the St. Mary's paintings and fresco, click here. To learn more about Ben Long's fresco in nearby Glendale Springs NC click here. 
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