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Local artist's Holy Week collection on display at church in Barberton
By Colette M. Jenkins
Beacon Journal religion writer
Published on Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
SMITHVILLE: Mahlon Schmucker uses scrap metal to spread the Gospel message.
''I love to go to the junkyard to look to see what's been thrown away that I can use to make something,'' Schmucker said. ''It's sort of like the story of Jesus, who can take any of us and make something special.''
Schmucker, a grain farmer, welds junk metal together to make Bible-based sculptures. One of his collections, a 12-piece display that tells the story of the events of Holy Week — from Palm Sunday to Easter — will be on display 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Summit Mennonite Church, 939 Norton Ave., Barberton.
The display is made from old pieces of broken farm machinery and equipment, including nuts, bolts, screws, nails, drivers, bearings, copper wire and cable. A close look also reveals things like a piece of a flotation device from a toilet tank, corners from a sardine can and window screening.
''This is a wonderful opportunity for people to see the story of Holy Week through art and ponder again what happened,'' said the Rev. Norma Duerksen, pastor at the Barberton church. ''It's very thought provoking and a way for people to see the events of Holy Week in a whole new way.''
Schmucker started his sculpting ministry in the late 1960s, after looking through a Mennonite publication that used stick figures for illustrations. A few days after seeing the illustrations, while waiting for a cement truck so he could finish building grain bins, he looked down and saw
pieces of scrap metal on the ground.
''I picked up the scrap and cobbled together three crosses,'' said Schmucker, who is a member at Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville. ''That was the beginning.''
The three crosses, which are part of the Easter display, were displayed in art shows at the College of Wooster and the Wayne County Fair.
As Schmucker worked on the farm, he began to see what he calls ''odds and ends'' that stood out as pieces he could use in sculptures. Soon, he started making Nativity sets, then a depiction of the Last Supper.
''When he first started, I couldn't understand why he was taking all this time to make these things. After all, there were things that needed to be cleaned up and work to be done around the farm,'' Gwen Schmucker said of her husband's artwork. ''But the more he did, the more excited I got about it. Then I started helping him. Now, it all makes sense — it's a way to tell Bible stories in a really different way.''
The Easter display, which has traveled to Indiana and Wisconsin, contains the following 12 sculptures and Schmucker's descriptions and references:
• Getting the Colt: ''Following Jesus' instructions, his disciples untied the colt, explaining to those who questioned them, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.' ''(Mark 11:1-6)
• Triumphant Entry: ''The great crowds that had come for the feast met Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and shouted 'Hosanna.' Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'' (John 12:12-15)
• The Last Supper: ''The disciples were all different, not polished 'yes men.' Their sizes, shapes and textures in their sculpture show that all people are acceptable in God's eyes.'' (Matthew 26:20-30)
• Jesus Washes Peter's Feet: ''Accept my love — and show that love — by caring for one another as I have cared for you.'' (John 13:1-17)
• Jesus Prays Alone: ''Peter, James, and John are nearby. The rest of the disciples are farther back. All are exhausted and asleep. Judas' bench is empty.'' (Mark 14:32-38)
• The Arrest: ''A few swords were along that night, but Jesus soon said, 'No more of this,' and he healed Malchus' severed ear.'' (Luke 22:35-38, 47-53)
• The Trial: ''An angry, demanding crowd — his wife's message — Pilate tried to wash his hands of the whole dilemma. Must an innocent man be crucified and a criminal be released?'' (Matthew 27:11-26)
• The Denial: ''The rooster crowed and Peter saw Jesus look straight at him. Remembering their recent conversation, Peter went out and wept bitterly.'' (Luke 22:54-62)
• Judas: ''Distraught with the events that followed his betrayal of Jesus, Judas went out and hanged himself. Perhaps, the rope tore, causing
him to drop over the cliff and burst open.'' (Matthew 27:1-5, Acts 1:18)
• Road to Galgotha: ''The guard in the tower, the soldiers and their slave are obeying orders. Unsuspecting Simon is seized to help. A shepherd wants to cross the path. Goats graze. Women follow weeping. Two criminals are crucified. Jesus is next.'' (Luke 23:26-27, 32-34)
• The Three Crosses: ''A barren hillside. Rebar resembles tree bark on the crosses. A sharp band-saw blade for the crown of thorns.'' (Luke 23:13)
• The Resurrection: ''Early Sunday morning, two women went to see the tomb. There was a violent earthquake. An angel rolled the stone away and sat on it. The frightened guards fainted. The angel announced that Jesus has risen.'' (Matthew 27:57-28:7)
''In all of the sculptures, I make Jesus out of brass, because I want to show that he is special,'' Schmucker said. ''This is just my way of telling Bible stories. I don't feel comfortable doing public speaking, but I like talking to people about the artwork.''
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com.
SMITHVILLE: Mahlon Schmucker uses scrap metal to spread the Gospel message.
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