A rare talent helps transform a Chenango County parish
By Connie McKinney
Contributing writer
Beautiful works of art decorate both the inside and outside of Immaculate Conception Church in Greene.
Jesus the Good Shepherd hoists a sheep over his shoulder in one picture located inside a church classroom. Bright, blooming flowers and an empty tomb decorate the parish nursery. Outside the church, Jesus’s baptism is celebrated in another artwork that adorns a gazebo.
But a closer look reveals these works of art aren’t paintings, photographs or drawings. Instead, they are mosaics comprised of tiny pieces of colorful glass and developed with the skill, precision and patience of longtime parishioner Clyde Eckler of the Town of Greene.
“What a gift to our church,” said Mary Wentlent, who serves as the parish life director. “It beautifies the parish and gives it a sense of home.”
Eckler’s mosaic career began after he attended an auction and bought some glass, he said.
“That’s what got me started because I had all this glass,” he said.
Not sure what to do with it, he decided to take a class in mosaic making when he worked for the former Link Aviation in Binghamton. To his surprise, he became the best student in the class.
After he retired, he began spending more and more time making mosaics, he said.
“It takes quite a while,” Eckler said. “It’s a long process. You need a lot of patience.”
His mosaic work for Immaculate Conception Church began several years ago when Wentlent put out a call to parishioners asking them if they wanted to sell any items they made for a church table at the annual Greene Arts and Crafts Festival. Eckler brought in a cat mosaic. Nobody bought the cat mosaic but Wentlent loved it and took it home.
Recognizing his talent, she asked Eckler if he would make a mosaic of two angels to hang over the church choir area. He agreed to the project even though he had never made an angel mosaic before.
His fellow parishioners are big fans of Eckler’s work, including longtime parishioner Bonnie Norton.
“We are just blessed to have Clyde make these for us,” she said. “He’s a very talented man.”
Wentlent said Eckler’s work is an inspiration to his fellow parishioners.
“He’s not really an artist. He just thought he would try something new,” she said. “It inspires other people to try new things and think: ‘What can I do to help out the church?’”
So far, Eckler has made approximately 20 mosaics for the church and its grounds. His work adorns almost every room in the church including the choir area, the nursery and church offices. There are more mosaics outside the church including the baptism of Jesus mosaic located in a gazebo in the church’s Mary Garden and mosaics for all 14 stations of the cross.
When the temperature drops, all outdoor mosaics are brought inside to protect them from the elements. Then, they are installed outside again once spring comes, Wentlent said.
At 88 years old, Eckler said he has no plans to slow down and hopes to keep making more mosaics for the church.
“As long as I am able, I will keep going,” he said.
His next project will be a mosaic with the theme of revelation. In the mosaic, Mary will look up at a serpent.
Eckler said this project promises to take a long time but that’s OK. He needs something to help him get through a long, cold Upstate New York winter.
About Immaculate Conception Church in Greene
Mary Wentlent serves as the parish’s life director. Rev. Paul Machira celebrates Masses and the sacraments. Masses are at 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday at the church located at 1180 State Highway 206, Greene. For more information, call (607) 656-9546 or visit https://iccgreene.com/
