Prince of Peace Painters

Jean Siderio, Cornelia Saltzman and Jill Lowe, collectively “the Prince of Peace painters,” have covered our undercroft (Episcopalian for basement) in a gorgeous series of folk-art murals.  These murals turn a space that could be dark and depressing into an enchanting expereience.        

The three “Prince of Peace Painters” have extensive experience. Beginning with biblical scenes painted throughout the church’s Sunday School room, the artists have met weekly, continuing their work on other bare walls throughout the church’s underground complex.  Scenes include mythical figures, animals and birds, faux stained glass windows, characters from American literature including Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer and Johnny Appleseed, and a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” nocturnal scene of woodlands and fairies. And, in a nod to the Episcopal Church’s roots in the Church of England, other scenes include Hadrian’s Wall, pilgrims from the Canterbury Tales, and even a rendition of Queen Elizabeth II enjoying the company of her corgi dogs. “There’s always a blank wall to have fun with,”  says Jean.

Our talented mural painters have even been entrusted with repainting the Gettysburg Community Ministerium's set of creche figures for Gettysburg's community nativity scene.  The Rev. Jay Zimmerman of the Gettysburg United Methodist Church for getting the project underway: “Jay has been instrumental in the Nativity figure project; in fact it would not have been done without him. We really owe him a debt of gratitude.”  Zimmerman alerted the Ministerium members to the need, and has been transporting the figures to and from storage, a bead-blasting finishing facility, and Prince of Peace.  When Zimmerman raised the need, Prince of Peace’s rector at the time, the Rev. Herbert Sprouse, instantly thought of the Mural Ministry ladies and approached them about the project, “which we were happy to undertake,” said Jean. The figures are now stored by other Ministirium member churches.