FINDING ZION: 8 BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS OF LATTER-DAY SAINT PIONEERS

In this beautiful piece by Kelsey and Jesse Lightweave, we see the young Joseph Smith searching the scriptures. What makes the imagery significant is that he is outside in his family’s field, maybe having just finished chores.

During this time, when church and temple attendance is limited, it’s a comforting reminder that we can experience Heaven’s embrace even amid the humdrum of our everyday lives. 

Jeff Pugh has a unique, more simplistic style.

As with many LDS art paintings of the First Vision, we see the brilliant light shining down on Joseph Smith. However, in Jeff’s painting, Joseph’s surroundings are not warm and green, but dark and barren.

In this depiction, the light is clearing away the darkness, symbolic of the gospel returning to the Earth, and what it can do for us in our own lives. 

Lynde Mott captures a quiet, everyday scene from the life of LDS pioneers.

The painting emphasizes the beauty of motherhood, bringing to mind the famous quote by William R. Wallace: “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”

Journal entries and stories galore attest to the vital role that the women and mothers had in the lds pioneers successfully crossing the plains. 

This painting by Judy Cooley is a tribute to James Kirkwood, an eleven-year-old boy. With his widow mother and older brother pulling another injured sibling in the handcart, James was left to walk the entire trek with his four-year-old brother Joseph. 

One night, the two boys were completely exhausted and fell behind the rest of the group. By the next morning, James succeeded in getting Joseph to the safety of his family’s camp, but upon their arrival, he fell dead from cold and starvation.

Joseph went on to live a long life, nearly reaching his 77th birthday. His biography records the account of his older brother James. This is only one of many tragic yet touching histories of the lds pioneers.

Annie Henrie Nader’s painting illustrates that while there were tragedies and hardships along the way, there were also miracles.

We often hear of the LDS pioneers who reported times when it felt as if someone else was pushing their handcart for them or when they saw Heaven’s hand guiding their footsteps.

We may not be called upon to risk life and limb, but we too can receive help and strength when on the Lord’s errand. 

This piece by Joseph Brickey is a sobering tribute to the early saints’ strength and grit. You can almost hear the cold winds blowing and feel the powdery snow.

However, in the painting, the clouds are parted, and there is still light shining down on the handcart company. It’s a subtle message of hope, present even when all other surroundings are barren and cold. A reminder of what the lds pioneers taught us: our eternal destination is well worth the sacrifice. We too can press ever onward.   

Finally, we have Eric Dowdle’s painting of the early Salt Lake Temple Square. The colors in this piece are vibrant, cheerful, and bright. It depicts the fruitful efforts of the LDS pioneers and the blessings that come with sacrifice.

While we may not be able to view our own lives as a completed picture, it can be inspiring to see where the efforts and hard work of others have led.  

The early saints didn’t stop at finding Zion. They also wanted to expand it and help others to enjoy the same blessings. Missionaries--at their own expense and often without much to leave their families--answered the call to spread the gospel. 

In the scene depicted in the painting, these early missionaries, despite their illness, stood up in the wagon and departed with the cheer of “Hurrah for Israel”. Robert Barrett’s painting speaks to the courage and sacrifice of these early missionaries, inspiring us to put our shoulder to the wheel and share what we know.