Valuable painting stolen from church prayer room

Published 1:45 pm Thursday, April 27, 2017

THOMASVILLE — An Elmo Gideon oil painting valued at thousands of dollars was stolen from the Gatlin Creek Baptist Church prayer room, according to reports.

The value of the painting of prophet Isaiah is estimated to be a minimum of $10,000. The value has been put as high as $35,000.

“We think it’s somewhere in between,” said Thomas County Sheriff’s Office investigator Sgt. Pascal Autrey.

The artist moved from Miami, Florida, to Thomas County in 2002, where, at 86, he died in 2010. An Overland Park, Kansas, native, Gideon was a U.S. Army Ranger during World War II and served on the front lines in southern France. 

According to the gideonart.com website, Gideon, who was decorated for valor, was obsessed by visions from the war and painted and sculpted some of the most harrowing and poignant images of post-Holocaust Europe.

The 32-by-24-inch painting taken from the church belonged to a private citizen. 

“It was on display at the church,” sheriff’s office investigator Tracy Long said.

Obviously, Long said, someone realized Gideon’s notoriety and took the painting.

The exterior door leading to the prayer room of the 2031 Gatlin Creek Road church stays open, but further access into the building is not possible.

Local pawn shops are on the lookout for the painting, but Long does not think the artwork is destined for the businesses. The internet shows many options for stolen art to be sold, the investigator said.

Long spent Wednesday at local businesses where the painting might be sold, but he doubts it would be sold here. He also thinks attempts to sell the artwork probably will not be soon.

“I’m trying to get the word out in the art community about the painting,” Long said.

Anyone with information about the painting is asked to contact Long at 225-3319.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820