Mormon Artists
Artists inspired by Mormonism have produced a wide array of artwork. Some pieces are very impressive while others can seem offbeat or even bizarre.
Modern Mormon artists have gone beyond Church-sanctioned depictions of deity which tend to favor white European-looking men as depictions of God, to embrace a wider range of styles when depicting divine figures.
Joseph A.F. Everett
Hewitt and Wetmore Hall had been open day and night as various religious and political organizations held nightly meetings there. Members were pleased to see that Harry Feinberg, editor of Industrial Worker, as well as others who spoke there had done so without being molested by police officers.
But this euphoria would prove short-lived; Sheriff McRae quickly returned with forceful action against Earl Osborne, taking him by forceful means and forcing him on foot towards Seattle – along with many others being similarly treated – at gun point! McRae promised not to back off from this policy: once again the tyrants were at war!
Minerva Teichert
Minerva Teichert (1888-1976) was a woman ahead of her time, known for being fiercely dedicated to both family and church while simultaneously developing a successful painting career.
She began her training in Chicago before enrolling at the Art Students League of New York City where Robert Henri mentored her, encouraging her to draw upon life experience when painting.
Utah proved an ideal setting for her work; her paintings quickly became iconic icons of Mormon history and Western heritage. Perhaps her most renowned piece was her series of 40 paintings depicting scenes from the Book of Mormon which she displayed both at home and various Latter-day Saint meetinghouses (such as Manti Temple World Room mural).
Francis L. Horspool
Horspool was an extraordinary woman. Her home served as a gathering spot for both family and community gatherings; furthermore, she played an instrumental role in planning ward entertainment.
Horspool was one of Utah’s best-known primitive or folk painters. Her style stood out among her peers such as Joseph A.F. Everett’s fluid realist paintings or Minerva Teichert’s more painterly styles studied in New York; nonetheless, Horspool was prolific as an artist working naively and primitive subjects that expressed her unique frame of mind while reflecting Mormon way of life with whimsical depictions in her art work[2.
Michal Luch Onyon
Most people associate Mormon art with vibrant paintings commissioned by the Church and found in temples and museums, but this illustrative work only represents one part of an expansive genre. For instance, Phyllis Luch Onyon illustrated The Friend as well as other Church publications; winning local and national professional awards with her drawings and paintings.
Onyon’s impressionistic style conjured up images of dreams or mystic visions, suggesting a terrible sacral truth is slowly revealed to the viewer. His work greatly influenced subsequent Mormon artists such as ceramicist Brian Kershisnik’s spiritually expressive figurative work and landscape artist Jeffrey R. Pugh who used bold brushstrokes to instil confidence into his western-themed landscapes.
Jeffrey R. Pugh
The district court did not commit an error when it denied Pugh’s pretrial motion to suppress statements about drug-trafficking. Detective Rayburn and Fessler interrogated Pugh regarding his alleged activities of drug-trafficking in Illinois and Iowa.
Elon University’s Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies and Distinguished University Professor encouraged the Class of 2018 to let their lives change the world and to be present for those in need.
Utah landscape painter Jeffery R. Pugh compares his palette-knife style to old digital cameras: when you zoom in, digital images often disintegrate; so too should his paintings. He wants them to produce that effect when zooming in close up.
Nnadmi Okonkwo
Nnamdi Okonkwo believes in the heroic capacity of human beings and strives to convey that idea in his artwork. He sees sculpture as a medium that goes beyond obvious or literal depictions and more directly addresses and inspires our hearts and souls. Okonkwo places particular emphasis on depicting womanhood to embody humanity’s magnanimous spirit.
Watch Kim Carson interview Nnamdi Okonkwo about his art at MLive ArtPrize show in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Nnamdi discusses his process and what excites him most about sculpting these “fat woman” statues. This video can be viewed here.
