How to Go
What: Mural dedication/blessing
Where: Precious Blood Catholic Church, 4961 Salem Ave., Trotwood
When: 11:30 a.m. Sunday
More info: (937) 276-5954 or www.precious bloodchurch.org.
TROTWOOD — An impressive new painting tells the story of Precious Blood Catholic Church, a huge mural 100 feet long and three stories high.
Artists and volunteers helped transform an empty building wall near the Trotwood church into a canvas that captures the memories and history of the 64-year-old church.
William O’Donnell came up with the idea for the public art titled “All Are Welcome.”
“Precious Blood Church is an active Catholic Faith community with a missionary heart. Our church building is surrounded by a deteriorating neighborhood. We have always been looking for ways to brighten up our property in service to the local community,” said the Rev. O’Donnell. “The mural is colorful, bigger than life and a testimony to our wonderful parishioners, past and present. We are committed to a vital and faith-filled future and are here to stay.”
One of those parishioners is Marilyn Hart, who coordinated the four-year project. She wanted a professional artist, so she contacted Leonard Williams of Waynesville. He’s had experience with large-scale murals. He was the artist who painted the ambitious work on the rear walls of Town & Country Shopping Center in Kettering in 2003. This particular mural was supposed to take three years, but Williams had some serious health problems that added another year to the project.
“The enjoyable part about this mural were all the volunteers we had working on it with us. Some people would come out of church service and ask us if they could help,” Williams said. “A few sorority girls came over from U.D. a couple of days.”
Williams took advantage of an old painting method that dates back to 15th century, when Michelangelo used it for the Sistine Chapel. A pounce pattern consists of perforating the outline of the design with a little wheel. Then charcoal is pounded through the small holes onto the surface of the building. Williams’ biggest support for this monumental task came from Keith Thue. There were three main sections, and they did 90 percent of the last section themselves.
“He’s a member of Town & Country Fine Art Center, and has only been painting a few years,” said Williams. “When I asked if he could help with it, he said he’d love to. We did all of the higher work that required scaffolding and ladders.”
The design includes a base of blue waterways meandering through a beige ground. The massive painting was designed by Brother Joseph Barrish, a well-known area artist residing at Mount Saint John. It is a Marianist community in a 140-acre natural setting in Beavercreek.
Barrish’s design focuses on the history of the church that held its first Mass on June 20, 1948, in the basement of the Convent of Our Lady of the Precious Blood. The Sisters donated the land, which included a 75-year-old barn. This barn became the church with two classrooms. Mass was held in the converted barn-church in August 1949. Precious Blood School opened in September of that same year. These and other milestones are depicted in the mural.
Besides Thue, Williams was aided by professional artists Regina Whipp and Connie Crosby to complete the work. Other volunteers included parish volunteers: Whipp’s son, Gene; Wes and Amy Wright with sons Tom and Patrick; Skip and Laura Discher, Chris Gulliford, Bill McCabe, Mike Newbauer, Mike Schindler, Judy Thaxton and Bill Wilbanks.
Nonparish volunteers who worked during the four-year period were: Taylor Barnes, Michael Gearhardt, Rachel Gearhardt, Michelle Hey, Stephanie Moon, Josh Nieman, Dion Roberts, Andrew Schaffer, Sarah Schaffer, Eric Swint, Karen Thue and Evan Wilson.
All artists and volunteers involved with the project will be recognized at Precious Blood Catholic Church on Sunday, followed by an outdoor blessing of the wall. The wall wouldn’t have been done without the contributions of major donors Mike and Mary Gearhardt and Beth Duke, an “angel” donor.
“We have a very diverse membership, and we’re becoming more community oriented. Among other outreach activities, we have a reading program and a food pantry,” said Hart, who lives in Dayton. She was married to her husband, John, at the church 58 years ago. “About the mural, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much my family came to my aid on this project. When grandma needs help, everyone comes running.”
Contact contributing writer Pamela Dillon at pamdillon@woh.rr.com.
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