Friend to Friend with President and Sister Oaks

 When Jody from the Church Office Building called me, she asked if I would be interested in illustrating a story for President Oaks that would be in the Friend to Friend broadcast. How could I say no to that? 

I was given pictures of President Oaks' great grandmother Chasty, with her siblings. The story is that they were playing in a river bed when the spirit told Chasty to get them all out. When she finally listened, a big flash flood came by that would have drowned them!

Jody and John asked me to sketch something by Tuesday to show President Oaks. It was Thanksgiving weekend, and my future son-in-law was visiting from out of town. We had wedding dress shopping and wedding plans to plan, but I was able to line up some models in my ward--thank you Ashlynn, Brooks, Bryce, Junie, and Susan!

After turning in sketches of Ashlynn, who posed as Chasty, John called me and asked if I were sitting down. He said Dallin H. Oaks wanted to meet with me IN PERSON in his office in Salt Lake City! That was a surreal experience, and such an honor. President Oaks shook my hand, and I was struck both by his spiritual power and his physical frailty. He is very businesslike, and we sat right down at his desk to discuss his vision for this project. He told me about his great grandmother Chasty, and how she brought the whole family together for generations at family reunions. He really wanted me to portray this riverbed as he sees it in his memory, even though he doesn't have any pictures of it. He sketched the general shape of it in my sketchbook, which I will keep forever. He also said that he wanted my style to be sketchy and black and white, and to see the children from behind, or far away, so you couldn't really make out their faces.

I was able to finish these sketches, and a painting of Chasty, just after Christmas. However, on January 1st, our deadline, I was told that after looking at the finished sketches, which he had asked for, President Oaks said that he changed his mind and wanted the sketches to be in color. So, at the last minute, I had to add color to these pencil sketches by using digital methods on my computer. Thus, these colorized drawings are vastly different from my usual style. But, if the future president of the Church and prophet asks you to do things a certain way, you obey.

It was an amazing experience. This was the second time I had made artwork for President Oaks, and I treasure each experience. 

The Friend to Friend broadcast can be watched here, with the segment with this story starting at time stamp 15:55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWcuXXxcbAk

The Tortoise and the Hare

 It was Christmas time. I was at my uncle's funeral. I already had a very important job I was working on that had a tight deadline. My art director asked me if I would be interested in illustrating the Tortoise and the Hare, due the day after my other big job. 

I couldn't say no!

This aired on Music and the Spoken Word on January 7, 2024.

I felt very blessed to have work over Christmas break, even though it meant less time that I could spend playing with my kids. We made it work. And I fit this project in whenever I could. Thanks to my husband for helping me push the backgrounds so they were more exciting!

Washington, D. C. Temple in the Fall

 My friend Sandy wanted a painting of the temple where she and her husband Paul were sealed, and to remember the event, she wanted it set in the fall. I really like how it turned out.

Women of Faith

These drawings were for a Music and the Spoken Word broadcast on July 23, 2023, for Pioneer Day, recognizing two pioneering women in the world who did great things.

Fe del Mundo

 Sirimavo Bandaranaike

The Fable of How the Hippo Lost His Hair

This aired on Music and the Spoken Word on April 30, 2023.

 In an old fable, the hippo had long, beautiful hair. He would show it off each night in the light of the fire. Both the lion and the jackal cautioned the hippo about vanity and staying too close to the fire, but the hippo refused to listen to them. One night, the hippo's mane caught on fire, and he had to run to the river and jump in to extinguish the flames. All his hair was burnt off! That is why hippos like to stay in the water, because they are ashamed of missing all of their hair.

What a fun idea to illustrate! I found old illustrations of woolly rhinos and mammoths to base the idea of a hairy hippo upon. We also played a bit with AI generated images to get some ideas!

Why is There a Hole in Your Ceiling?

 This was for a Music and the Spoken Word broadcast on October 23, 2022.

A leak was fixed in the family's bathroom, but they eventually came to ignore the remaining hole, until a neighbor friend came to their house and asked, "Why is there a hole in your ceiling?" Similarly, we tend to get used to our own bad habits and forget about them, but we shouldn't get complacent about fixing the holes in our own lives.

Thanks to Deseret and Clarissa, who let me come take pictures in your bathroom!

The Importance of Work

 This was a painting for Music and the Spoken Word on Sept 4, 2022.

It illustrated the importance of hard work. A boy walked along a country road, looking at the corn fields on either side. On one side, the farmer was not working his field, and it looked neglected, stunted, and drying out. On the other side, the corn was tall and healthy, and he could often see the farmer working in the field. 

My son Micah is starting to learn how to work hard, including modeling for me, as I have used him a lot as a model in the past few years.

Anna McClelland

This was a painting for Music and the Spoken Word that aired on Pioneer Day, July 24, 2022. 

More than a century ago, two sisters, Lucy and Anna McClelland, lived in a small pioneer settlement in the American Intermountain West. As she grew into young adulthood, Anna, who was two years younger than Lucy, determined to leave home and become a teacher. Her parents reluctantly consented, and Anna started a heavy load of classes at the academy. In her own words, she “didn’t have much fun.” 

Meanwhile, Lucy stayed home and worked to help support the family, but her sister was never far from her mind. Specifically, she worried that Anna wasn’t smiling enough—and not just because of her demanding schoolwork. You see, Anna had three front teeth that were badly damaged, and her family had never had enough money for dental work. Lucy wanted her sister to have the confidence to stand in front of a classroom and not cover her mouth when she smiled. So Lucy saved her pennies for a year and sent Anna $17.50 to get her teeth fixed—a small fortune in those days! 

Anna wrote: “If [Lucy] could realize how much it did for me and how I appreciate it. … I could now be with people without being so ashamed.” Anna became a teacher in their frontier town, and she never forgot her sister’s selfless gift.

This was a story about Lloyd Newell's own ancestor, Anna McClelland. I was grateful to my friend Rachel for being the model for Anna, and for her beautiful smile, even when she is having a bad day.

French Bread

 I painted this for Music and the Spoken Word for the Mother's Day broadcast, May 8, 2022.

French soldiers met up with a poor mother and her children in the woods. One of the soldiers took pity on them, and handed the mother a loaf of bread. She immediately tore it in half and gave it all to her children. The soldier was confused, because he knew the mother was hungry, and asked why she hadn't kept any for herself? The captain replied, "You do not understand what it is to be a mother."

I was so grateful for my friend Melissa and her darling little girls for dressing up and posing for me, and was glad to give them the fresh loaf of bread I'd baked as a thank you. I was also very glad that the Clubbs and Bro. Dastrup were able to quickly find outfits and come help at a moment's notice.

The Shoe Makers

 I painted these for a Music and the Spoken Word episode that aired on October 17, 2021. 

The story went that there were two shoe makers. They set up shop in a far-away country where they normally didn't wear shoes. One shoemaker was miserable--nobody was buying the shoes, and he was having very little business. The other shoemaker was having a great time--he was enjoying showing the people how to use the shoes and loved how their faces lit up! It was all about attitude.

Unfortunately, these paintings briefly aired on the first run, but were quickly removed, and now there isn't an episode that exists with them. I think there was an approval process that, at the last minute, didn't like that the two shoe makers had a different ethnicity than the people buying the shoes. My thought process was, the two guys were trying to sell in a far-away country, so the culture and even color of their skin would be very different from what they were used to. I meant no disrespect to either race.

Anyway, here are the paintings that you can't see on the broadcast. I loved researching African people's faces and clothing. I think they are so beautiful, and I need much more practice painting them.

The Tree of Life

I painted these for a Music and the Spoken Word message. It
aired on September 22, 2021. It talked about a girl who grew up
with a tree. At the beginning, when they planted the tree, it was
about as tall as she was.

The girl took care of the tree, and as she grew, the tree grew as well.

The story captures the life of the tree along with the girl, and how
they spent time together and were friends.

I enjoyed painting these. I had just finished painting "Katrina and the Madrone Tree,"
which was a children's book memoir of a similar girl with a similar relationship to a tree. 
You can see the illustrations for it in the "Pages" on the side bar.

I also loved that I got to use my daughters in the different age views
of the girl and the tree. I painted these during the pandemic, so it was 
great to take the whole family on a walk, and just enjoy playing in and being around trees.

The Man from Snowy River

 I was again given the opportunity to illustrate paintings for the BYU Devotional. This was to be on February 11, 2020, and given by Elder Terrence Vinson, who is from Australia.

He told the story of the Man from Snowy River, who would stay in his saddle despite the steep cliff and rocks. He trusted his horse. We were also encouraged to stay in the saddle, and to trust and be led by God through the trials of this life.

Here is a link to Elder Vinson's talk: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/terence-m-vinson/meekly-placing-our-total-trust-in-god/

I was delighted that he asked for copies of the paintings! I was able to have them printed and delivered to him on his birthday.

Can You Sleep When the Wind Blows?

I had a special opportunity to illustrate a story told by Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy, at a BYU Devotional on November 13, 2018. 

He told a story about a farmer who was looking for help. I painted my husband, who doesn't normally have white hair or a beard, and my son.

The boy told the farmer he could work for him, and when the farmer asked for his qualifications, the boy said confidently, "I can sleep when the wind blows."

The farmer did not understand this response, but was curious and took the boy on as a stable hand. 

One night, a giant storm came sweeping towards the farm house. The farmer, in panic, tried to wake his farm hand, but he was fast asleep. So he ran out to secure the barn and the animals himself.

What he found was that all the chinks were filled in the walls, all the doors were locked and barred, and all the animals were safe in their barn. Now he understood the statement, "I can sleep when the wind blows."

"And now, returning to our unassuming farm boy, I pray that whatever storms come into your life—and I promise they will come—that you can be a person of character, honor, and integrity. And most of all, I pray that you can sleep when the wind blows." --Elder Bowen

Christmas Devotional 2019

I feel so blessed that I was given the opportunity to create these illustrations. It was amazing to be asked to illustrate a story that would be told by an apostle of the Lord, President Dallin H. Oaks! My first thought for a model was my dear friend Tricia French, with her sweet daughter and her awesome husband. Tricia came through with costumes and an amazing hairstyle, and her mother-in-law provided beautiful period furniture!

The story is about a girl who was sad that she didn't receive the doll she wanted for Christmas. After her mom tried consoling her, her father called her in to sit on his lap and read from the scriptures about the greatest gift we have ever been given--Christ's atonement and resurrection. The child slept contentedly that night, grateful that she had been given that gift.

Six months after these illustrations aired on the LDS First Presidency Christmas Devotional, my dear friend Tricia died in a tragic bike crash. We have all felt our world turn upside down. I am so grateful that I took the opportunity to draw and paint her and her husband and daughter when I had the chance. We miss her so much. These pictures are so much more meaningful now, and the story means so much more to us now. 

"Even though our Father in Heaven knew {terrible things} were in store for His beloved Son, He, in His infinite love and wisdom, gave Him to the world. And the second part of this wondrous gift is that Christ, the Son, knowing, too, all this, gave Himself willingly that we might have eternal life."--Janice Jensen Barton, "The Christmas I Remember Best," Deseret News, December 24, 1988.

 

George Among the Trees

According to popular legend, an officer in the Revolutionary War once directed his men to fell some trees and construct a much-needed bridge. As the soldiers struggled mightily with the task, an imposing-looking man rode up and, observing their work, said to the officer, “You don’t have enough men for the job, do you?”

“No,” the officer replied. “We need some help.”

The man, looking down from his saddle, asked, “Why don’t you help your men?”

“Me?” the officer responded in a huff. “Why, I am a corporal!”

The man got down from his horse and worked with the soldiers until the bridge was completed. Then, mounting his horse, he said to the officer, “Corporal, the next time you have a job to put through and too few men to do it you had better send for the Commander-in-Chief, and I will come again.”

The man, so the legend goes, was General George Washington." --Heidi Swinton

 

Set Free

 

A bird flew into a house one day, and as much as the family tried coaxing it out, it just kept retreating into the house further and further. Finally, their son had an idea. He turned off all the lights in the house, opened the front door, and turned on the porch light. The bird found its way out! 

"Have you ever felt like that bird? Have you ever felt trapped in your circumstances—as though you had exhausted all your options and there was no way out? Then the message of Easter is for you. Easter is a celebration of the Light of the World, who shines in the darkness to show the way to freedom. He sets the captives free. He gives hope to the disheartened and peace to the weary. He provides a way for us to live more abundantly now and everlastingly hereafter. 

The message of Easter is a message of freedom: victory over death, freedom from doubt and despair, and the bright light of hope—hope that good will ultimately conquer evil, that all wrongs will be righted, and that we will be set free to live again."--Lloyd Newell

 

I was very grateful to my friends the Minson for posing for this photo shoot, and that I was able to use my own son in the picture! They had plenty of children to use, but I needed a boy to fit the story, and the Minson family was made up of seven daughters!

Grow Together

 

This is a story of a logger and his nephew, chopping wood for lumber. The nephew noticed a tall tree standing by itself and said they should chop it down for good lumber. His uncle explained that, when a tree grows all by itself, it has too many branches that cause too many knots, and it is not useful for lumber. Similarly, we need to "grow together" to become our best selves.

I asked a father and his son to pose for me for this painting. Since then, I have come to know and love them--I have taught the son in cub scouts, and the father has become part of our bishopric. I am grateful to them for letting me use them as models.

Willie Handcart Storm

I have been able to paint most of the pioneer messages for the choir broadcast over the last nine years.  This year, the story was about the Willie handcart company.  They endured terrible hardships as they traveled across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley.

According to the story from Betsey Smith Goodwin's journal, “I will not dwell upon the hardships we endured, nor the hunger and cold, but I like to tell of the goodness of God unto us.” She recounts one day that especially stood out in her memory. The wind blew fiercely. The dark clouds were ominous and threatening. The approaching storm was so violent, the thunder and lightning so frightening, that even the ox teams refused to take another step. The group’s captain stood in the middle of the road, took off his hat, and bowed his head. Soon other members of the company joined him in bowing their heads and removing their hats, until 100 carts had gathered around the captain, who said, “Let us pray.” Betsey remembers that as he poured his heart out in prayer, heaven felt close. The clouds then parted, and the company pressed forward with faith until they reached camp and pitched their tents—just before the storm clouds finally burst open with torrents of rain.



I had to finish this painting early in order to go on a family vacation, and the scope of the painting was pretty daunting--100 handcarts and all their families!?  With my husband's help, I decided on this rocky landscape, and to zoom in to about 30 people.  I happened to learn that a friend of ours had a handcart, which we borrowed and set up in several different positions, and had my sister's family and a neighbor family who were heading off to trek soon as models.  Thank you, Ericksons and Gillmans!  The finishing of this painting was a blessing and result of a lot of prayer.

Somebody's Mother

I got to do another Mother's Day painting in 2016.  Even though it was early May, and quite warm, my models were kind enough to dress in heavy coats, gloves and scarves, and make it look like winter, while posing on the street corner.  Thanks David and RaeMi!  David also had to show up to model right after being in a car accident!  I have the sweetest models ever!

The woman was old and ragged and gray

And bent with the chill of the Winter’s day. . . .

She stood at the crossing and waited long,

Alone, uncared for, amid the throng

Of human beings who passed her by

Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.

Down the street, with laughter and shout,

Glad in the freedom of “school let out,”

Came the boys like a flock of sheep,

Hailing the snow piled white and deep. . . .

[One] paused beside her and whispered low,

“I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go. . . .

“She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know,

For all she’s aged and poor and slow.

“And I hope some fellow will lend a hand

To help my mother, you understand,

“If ever she’s poor and old and gray,

When her own dear boy is far away.”

And “somebody’s mother” bowed low her head

In her home that night, and the prayer she said

Was, “God be kind to the noble boy,

Who is somebody’s son, and pride and joy!”

Handel's Messiah

George Frideric Handel had a hard life.  He was down on himself and wanting to give up when his friend, Charles Jennens, gave him a text he had prepared from Isaiah verses in the Bible about the Messiah.  Handel set it to music and made one of the best, well-known musical pieces ever.



My brother-in-law Ryan and his son Cole were so kind to get all dressed up fancy and model for me on this job, and it was fun to learn that Cole's sister Natalie had just written a research paper on Handel, so she taught me a lot about this story as well.