West Side Paintings: Reflections on a Centennials Project

Sunday, September 25, 2022
2:00 PM in the Church

A public viewing of six paintings housed inside the Church of St. Matthew will take place on Sunday, September 25 at 2:00 PM. Fr. Steve Adrian will give backgrounds on why we have the paintings and introduce the artists. The artists, Craig David and Richard Schletty, will be at the event to talk about the paintings and their other works. Refreshments will be served.

St. Paul Voice article

The Church of Saint Matthew is hosting an event at 2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 25 to let the public view six mural-sized paintings that depict scenes of the West Side and bear the faces of actual residents. The paintings, created by Craig David and Richard Schletty, have been housed inside the church since 1986.

“The faces, the landmarks, the symbols, the images portrayed are a glimpse of our heritage,” said the Rev. Stephen Adrian, pastor of St. Matthew’s for 34 years. He officially retired in 2012 but still celebrates weekend Masses at St. Matthew’s to this day.

One might expect murals in a Catholic sanctuary to reflect a strictly religious theme, but these paintings reflect the broader community. The art project came about through a gift from Gordon Barron in memory of his wife, Doris, and was supported by a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Other contributors included several foundations, the City of St. Paul and individual donors.

The artists will be at the September 25 celebration, entitled “West Side Paintings: Reflections on a Centennials Project,” to speak about the paintings, their other works, and how the West Side has changed over the years. Refreshments will be served. The church is located at 510 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

Download the St. Paul Voice article (PDF file).