Amboy Church – Mystery of the Mural Artist Solved
By Joe de Kehoe
Copyright © Joe de Kehoe, 2009
Amboy Church Mural, Click to enlarge.
Prior to publishing my book The Silence and the Sun I tried for several years, unsuccessfully, to learn who painted the large mural on the back wall of the church in Amboy. Several former Amboy residents told me that they thought that it was painted by a soldier who was in the area for combat training, but I was never able to get a name. Likewise, I scrutinized every inch of the church wall trying to find the artist’s signature. I never solved the mystery and commented in the book that I did not know who did the painting.
Shortly after the book was published I received correspondence from a man named David Fahey who had read my book and wrote to me that his father, Patrick Fahey and Paul F. Salopek from the Barstow Knight's of Columbus drove out to Amboy to clean up the church in the 1960s. During the clean-up Paul decided he could do something with the blank wall behind the alter and painted the mural that same day. I confirmed the story with Paul’s son, Paul Jr. and with Paul’s daughter, Frances.
Paul Jr.:
“It sounds like something my dad would do--he belonged to the Knights of Columbus in Barstow and was prone to painting murals in churches. I also know that my dad--also named Paul F. Salopek--designed the Barstow city flag and painted hundreds of desert landscape paintings which have ended up all over the place.
(His day job was as a graphic illustrator at the Marine base outside of Barstow.) He ran for mayor of Barstow once, in the 1950s I think, and lost. Most of our family left the States for Mexico when I was 6, and dad died shortly thereafter, so don't remember much more about him in California. I'm glad to hear that some physical remnant of him may still survive there”.
Frances, Paul’s older sister, accompanied her father to Amboy that day and remembers him doing the painting.
Frances:
“I don't know why I fondly remember that excursion to Amboy but I do, and somewhat vividly. Dad did paint a mural in a little church in the little town of Amboy. One of the few times I accompanied dad and also the rare occasion of leaving Barstow's boundary explains the fondly. The mural I believe was of St. Raymond (dad painted so many church murals), I seem to recall the man in the mural having a long sweeping cloak. Also the resident priest was kind and gave me a bowl of ice cream”.
I sent Frances a photo I had taken of the painting and she wrote back,
Bingo!
My thanks to David Fahey for helping me find the artist.
Shortly after the book was published I received correspondence from a man named David Fahey who had read my book and wrote to me that his father, Patrick Fahey and Paul F. Salopek from the Barstow Knight's of Columbus drove out to Amboy to clean up the church in the 1960s. During the clean-up Paul decided he could do something with the blank wall behind the alter and painted the mural that same day. I confirmed the story with Paul’s son, Paul Jr. and with Paul’s daughter, Frances.
Paul Jr.:
“It sounds like something my dad would do--he belonged to the Knights of Columbus in Barstow and was prone to painting murals in churches. I also know that my dad--also named Paul F. Salopek--designed the Barstow city flag and painted hundreds of desert landscape paintings which have ended up all over the place.
(His day job was as a graphic illustrator at the Marine base outside of Barstow.) He ran for mayor of Barstow once, in the 1950s I think, and lost. Most of our family left the States for Mexico when I was 6, and dad died shortly thereafter, so don't remember much more about him in California. I'm glad to hear that some physical remnant of him may still survive there”.
Frances, Paul’s older sister, accompanied her father to Amboy that day and remembers him doing the painting.
Frances:
“I don't know why I fondly remember that excursion to Amboy but I do, and somewhat vividly. Dad did paint a mural in a little church in the little town of Amboy. One of the few times I accompanied dad and also the rare occasion of leaving Barstow's boundary explains the fondly. The mural I believe was of St. Raymond (dad painted so many church murals), I seem to recall the man in the mural having a long sweeping cloak. Also the resident priest was kind and gave me a bowl of ice cream”.
I sent Frances a photo I had taken of the painting and she wrote back,
Bingo!
My thanks to David Fahey for helping me find the artist.
