Frescoes of the High Country

The Frescoes of the High Country

‘The Last Supper,’ as depicted by artist Ben Long inside the Holy Trinity Church, located in Glendale Springs.

PHOTO BY ANDREW COLE

BY CHANDA RICHARDSON

Dating back longer than 2,000 years, the frescoes have become a staple of the arts within the High Country. From the Last Supper, the Mystery of Faith to works from the area’s very own Ben Long, it isn’t hard to see the hard work and care that has been built into these pieces.

In Ashe County sits St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, located at 400 Beaver Creek School Rd. in West Jefferson, and it offers more than fulfilling works by Long.

Growing up in Statesville, Long became passionate about fresco painting and hasn’t looked back since. The frescoes take a lot of time and concentration as the artist presses pigment into wet plaster, rather than painting normally onto a white canvas. The art then becomes bonded with the plaster and produces a surface that is then resistant to time when it hardens, making these beautiful paintings last a lifetime.

In October 2021, Ben Long was subject of a feature novel called “The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F.

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PHOTO BY ANDREW COLE The historic Holy Trinity Church is located at 195 J.W. Luke Road in Glendale Springs. The small chapel is home to Ben Long’s ‘The Last Supper,’ which was completed in 1980.

FRESCOES

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Long IV,” written by Janet Pittard and David Chiswell. The book features the first Ashe County fresco, “Mary Great with Child,” given to St. Mary’s by Long in 1974. In 1975, Long completed “John the Baptist” and in 1977, he completed “The Mystery of Faith.” Long’s final Ashe County fresco was “The Last Supper,” completed in 1980 and given to the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church located at 195 J W Luke Rd. in Glendale Springs.

Copies of “The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV” may be purchased locally, ordered at online sellers or directly from the publisher.

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church continues to host the annual Festival of the Frescoes in the Fall, which raises money for various outreach programs.

Long also painted a fresco entitled “Suffer the Little Children” in Avery County’s Sloop Chapel, located at the Crossnore Communities for Children.

Long outstretched from the High Country and became a well-decorated artist, completing works for Bank of America in Charlotte and a handful of schools. To see more of his works, click to www.benlongfineart.com.

For more information on the Ashe County Frescoes and the foundation, visit www.ashefrescoes.org.

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church continue to open their doors to anyone who would like to take in the Ben Long Frescoes.

FILE PHOTO The ‘Mystery of Faith’ fresco by Ben Long is featured on the wall of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in West Jefferson.