How
do you turn dark to light? Picture this. A woman from Germany,
a woman from Mexico and a woman from New York working together
in South Georgia, turning the dark of a church wall into
an image of hope and light. With creativity, paint and brush,
they created the mural that now graces the wall behind the
altar at Glenmary’s St. Jude Mission in Glennville,
Ga.
The
art project began, as Glenmary Father Brian LaBurt, pastor
of St. Jude, explains, when “we had to rethink the
heating and air conditioning system….” As a result
of that rethinking, a large, unsightly vent was added to
the dark paneled wall behind the altar.
The
inside of the church was cooler, but with the addition of
the vent, the darkness seemed more noticeable than before.
Enter
Kadee (Karin) Dasher, an artist, mother of five, and a parishioner
of St. Jude. Born in Germany, Kadee has lived in Glennville
for eight years.
Kadee
was always concerned about the drab, claustrophobic effect
of the dark paneling, but once the vent appeared, she knew
“something needed to be done.” She discussed the
problem with her friend Ginger Olansen, a professional artist,
who was visiting from New York.
At the
next Parish Council meeting, Kadee explained to Father Brian
and the committee that Ginger could “hide the vent”
by creating a mural. The entire parish voted on the proposal,
and Ginger volunteered her time and talents (asking only
for some help and her plane fare) to the mission community.
Kadee enlisted the help of her good friend and fellow artist
and parishioner, Socorro DeLoach. Born in Mexico, Socorro
has lived in Glennville for 18 years.
Kadee
and Socorro poured over art books for subject matter. Eventually,
Socorro made samples of possible scenes which were then
voted on by every parishioner. The scene incorporates an
existing wood crucifix into a scene which includes Mary
and John looking at Jesus on the cross. With the mission
community’s support (parishioners brought in food and
drink, donated buckets, brushes, tarps and more), work began
in September 2001.
The
dark paneled walls were spackled, sanded, primed and then
painted white. From there, Kadee, Ginger and Socorro worked
together to create the scene of Mary and John (painted by
Socorro)
As
Kadee says, “We all painted together, but everybody
had their own talent. We learned a lot from each other.”
Ginger
painted the overall scene, even “hiding” the thermostat
in a tree. She says she isn’t “a real church-going
person,” but adds that she volunteered because “it
just was one of those things…it was a challenge…and
it just touched me.”
Kadee,
pregnant at the time, stenciled the columns and arches that
are designed to appear as a temple. The parishioners of
St. Jude, are in effect, “inside” the “temple”
looking out on the scene of Mary and John and Jesus on the
cross.
On Oct.
7, Father Brian blessed the mural. A card of thanks, signed
by every parishioner, was presented to Ginger. “The
whole congregation just brought tears to my eyes with their
love and warmth,” she says.
All
three artists credit Father Brian’s enthusiastic support.
Kadee says, “He was 100 percent behind us–he’s
just been an angel.” As Father Brian explains, St.
Jude is a multicultural parish (100 or more parishioners)
whose “clear majority is Mexican.” Through the
mural project, parishioners came together to work, volunteer
and help out, all for the greater good of the parish.
This parish experience can promote growth and openness in
the mission community, Father Brian says, as people work
together. And, in this case, the end result also adds beauty
to the mission church.
“When
you walk into the church now, you look straight ahead and
see the mural,” says Kadee. “We definitely brightened
it up…and the space looks much larger.”
“It’s
kind of nice to be needed and feel you can help out,”
Kadee says. “I think the dark was a very good thing
that happened. God brought everything together. God worked
it out.”
—Bev
Cleveland
