The art of heaven
Jacob Wolfe spent over 12,000 hours creating most pieces of this chapel at St. Joseph Seminary. He carved the choir stalls, high altars, low altar and tabernacle. (Submitted photos by Jacob Wolfe) CHARLOTTE — Woodworker and sculptor Jacob Wolfe’s sacred art graces nooks and crannies, walls and ceilings across the Diocese of Charlotte. From the white plaster niches holding the Stations of the Cross at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, to the sanctuary walls in the Pastoral Center chapel.
“Jacob is a strong Catholic, and he loves our Faith. His projects reflect his faith,” said Father Timothy Reid, pastor of St. Ann Church in Charlotte. “He works so diligently and has such great attention to detail because he knows his artwork is meant to glorify our Lord.”
A cradle Catholic born in the small town of Tryon in the western North Carolina mountains, Wolfe spent his childhood running through the woods as his six siblings chased each other with spears and swords crafted from the bamboo forest guarding their property.
His fascination with creating objects with his hands led young Wolfe to shape those same bamboo shoots into wind chimes. His father, Bob Wolfe, took note of his son’s eagerness when he came home from middle school psyched about constructing Adirondack chairs.
“He said I will buy you all the basic tools you need – table saw, bandsaw, all Home Depot tools, but these were like the Mac Daddy’s to me,” Wolfe reminisced. “My parents were always rooting for me and pushing me to figure things out. It was a wonderful gift.”
In high school, Wolfe enrolled in a woodshop class. He started designing a table, and while he carved out the corners and sanded the legs, he found his passion for the craft:
This could be what God made him to do, he thought.
In 2010, Wolfe, a sophomore at Appalachian State University, came home to find a newly installed pastor, Father Patrick Winslow, at his childhood parish of St. John the Baptist in Tryon, who had a vision for what the church could be.
“Considering his woodworking goals, we discussed what would be possible in the church,” explained Monsignor Winslow. “I threw out some ideas, and he came back with beautiful designs. It was then I knew, this guy is good.”
Monsignor Winslow had many ideas: coffered ceilings stenciled with gold lettering, walls that look like blocks and wooden reredos (the decorative back wall behind an altar).
Wolfe was determined to fulfill the monsignor’s artistic vision.
“That back wall turned into really my first piece which I designed and built from scratch,” Wolfe said. “We just kept pushing, and I kept saying, ‘Yeah, I can do that. I can figure it out,’ It was a wonderful, fruitful relationship with mutual trust and mutual understanding that we don’t know what we are doing,” he joked.
The renovation took almost two years to complete, during which Monsignor Winslow became Wolfe’s mentor, spiritual advisor and friend.
Wolfe, who also had an inclination to sculpt but never the opportunity to do so, was commissioned by a benefactor of St. John the Baptist to carve a Divine Mercy statue.
Around the same time, Wolfe repeatedly saw a young woman who was around his age across the street from the church. They would exchange waves every day without fail.
One hot summer day the woman, Olivia, appeared and offered Wolfe an ice-cold smoothie. Wolfe believes it was love at first sight. A year later they were engaged, and now they are married with children of their own.
Father Winslow and Wolfe started discussing the possibility of Wolfe launching his own sacred art business. “While eating out one night, between Googling and brainstorming,
Father Winslow and I came up with the name Ars Caeli,” remembered Wolfe. “Latin meaning ‘art of heaven,’ very fitting for what I was about to accomplish.”
Soon after, Monsignor Winslow was reassigned to Charlotte, and Wolfe followed. Ars Caeli quickly built a client base.
Father Timothy Reid of St. Ann Church in Charlotte commissioned Wolfe for stenciling projects.
“I saw Jacob’s work at St. John the Baptist in Tryon and knew that he had a good deal of talent,” Father Reid said. “I also knew that I wanted to help this young artist get established in his career.”
The Divine Mercy statue he made to memorialize the sudden death of a 20-year-old seminarian, Michael Kitson, showcased his talent, said Father Reid.
Wolfe was recommissioned by Father Reid, working more than 300 hours on a tabernacle and creating his first marble statue, Our Lady of Fatima. Wolfe first sculpted a smaller version of the statue out of clay, then shipped it to Italy to be sculpted in marble.
“Seeing how many people pray regularly in front of the beautiful statue that stands in the parish courtyard is proof to me that his artwork brings our parishioners closer to God,” said Father Reid.
“When I look at this piece, I see that entire journey and smile. It has been a blessing, one I hope can be shared and appreciated for the next hundred years,” Wolfe said.
Wolfe’s name came to the mind of Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, as he planned a redesign of the adoration chapel. Father Putnam wanted unique works that would elevate worshippers’ minds to the heavens. Sharing a common love of the works of Italian Baroque sculptor Gian Bernini, Wolfe understood Putnam’s vision.
“I wanted to draw inspiration from Bernini’s idea of a full work of art – meaning all elements work together as one,” Wolfe said.
Father Putnam trusted Wolfe with the design. Wolfe hand-crafted every element, from the motif inlaid on the floor to the floor itself, the rails and the wooden walls. While the statues of Mary and Joseph were there, Wolfe sculpted the two angels holding the monstrance and the Holy Spirit above. His hand molded the capitals of the pillars and painted the stencil work on the ceiling.
“Yeah, I did it all, with the grace of God,” a mantra that begins or ends most of the Wolfe’s sentences.
Father Matthew Kauth, rector of St. Joseph Seminary in Mount Holly, heard of Wolfe’s love of sacred art and talent to match. He commissioned one of Wolfe’s largest projects, sending him on a 12,000-hour craftsman journey.
“He has crafted the doors, the sacristy furniture, memorial plaques, entryway furniture, tabernacle, choir stalls and a sedilia. They are all custom with hand-carving and expert craftsmanship,” said Father Kauth. “Jacob has an unusual skill in glorifying God through various artistic media.”
Designing and building the 38 choir stalls, the high altar, the low altar and the gothic sacristy cabinets became one of Wolfe’s most challenging accomplishments.
“The work I did at St. Joseph’s chapel was the most rewarding,” said Wolfe. “I do enjoy that one-of-a-kind church furniture and fixtures; they help support the architecture and the sacred art.”
Father Lucas Russo had a challenge of his own at St. Michael. He wanted to house the Divine Mercy statue and Our Lady of Guadalupe statue on either side of the church, but there were unsightly closets in the way.
He commissioned Wolfe to create oak niches that beautify the church while hiding the closets. Wheels allow mobility, so the closets are still accessible.
Father Winslow’s reassignment to St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte gave them another opportunity to beautify a sacred space.
While conceptualizing a redesign, Wolfe came across an antique 18th-century baldachin (a decorative canopy) for sale.
The solid oak, 30-foot-tall baldachin was bought at a steal for $25,000. Wolfe pieced it together and carved gold frames to surround the paintings displayed on the back wall.
He made communion rails and cast plaster niches for the stations of the cross.
It was only natural that when then-Father Winslow became a monsignor and began working at the pastoral center, Wolfe helped transform the little chapel there.
Today, Wolfe does selective projects for the diocese but spends his time making secular furniture and running the new Catholic app “Truthly” with friends Jacob Ciccarelli and Zac Johnson from St. Ann.
Wolfe moved to Winston-Salem with his wife and children. They attend St. Leo the Great and are excited about their next adventure.
“Whatever he does, I want Jacob to be able to support his family,” said Monsignor Winslow. “This is his vocation. As for his specific skills, I would love for him to be able to work for the Church. Whatever projects he chooses, I know he will do well. Jacob once said to me if he won the lottery, he would volunteer his labor for the Church.’ This speaks to his soul, to a profound sense of stewardship for his many talents.”
— Lisa Geraci
