Butler artist restores crucifix statues
Local artist Tom Panei has restored three crucifix statues for two churches in the area over the past few weeks.
The statues are 3, 5 and 6 feet in height. The small statue is being restored for an individual customer. The medium-sized crucifix is made of wood, and being fixed after it was knocked over in a vehicle accident at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Slippery Rock in August. And the large one is from St. Gertrude Parish in Vandergrift.
Panei, who also is a denture fabricator, said he is hoping to finish the projects by Christmas. Each has extensive damage and all are more than 50 to 100 years old.
“This is different than working on a fisherman statue,” Panei said. “You don't want to mess it up. You're in awe of what you have to do to make it look good.”Panei's process for repairing the statues involves fixing cracks and chips with plaster, building up the bigger limbs that are broken, then sanding and painting them. He had to completely reattach the arms of the largest crucifix in his shop, which will eventually be fashioned to a 12-foot cross at St. Gertrude Parish.The 5-foot wooden crucifix for St. Peter church, which is part of St. Faustina Parish in Slippery Rock, will undergo extensive repairs, according to Panei. He plans to paint it with outdoor acrylic, so it can sustain the elements when placed near the end of Slippery Rock's South Main Street again.
The Rev. Adam M. Verona, pastor of St. Faustina Parish, said the restoration plan for the statue involves fixing the roof that was above the crucifix and the lights to illuminate it. He said it will be moved further back from the road to avoid accidents.“The goal is to attempt to get it as close as possible to the original,” Verona said of the restored statue.According to Verona, the St. Peter church was dedicated Nov. 13, 1938, and he's not sure who constructed the statue or when it was erected.Verona has been at St. Faustina for three years and said it is interesting how strongly the community reacted to the loss of the statue.“I get the impression it's one of those landmark things in a small town,” Verona said. “I fielded calls from Catholic and non-Catholic community members alike. It's a prominent town marker and monument. It was a beautiful response from the community; they all wanted it restored.”Panei said restoring a crucifix is unlike any other statue repair.“It's pretty intense,” Panei said. “Working on it every day, looking at it, it's amazing. You do this with paintings too. Even if you're not Catholic or Presbyterian, you really get into painting it, and it's a moving experience because it's an important figure you're working on.”
