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1947 6 foot by 18 foot mural
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In 1948, he was comissioned in Vernal Utah to paint a large mural for the local tabernacle, with the added request that he also provide the duck canvas and paints. The mural was to be used at the local high school as part of the Centennial celebration of the entry into Salt Lake valley by Brigham Young, which happened, obviously, in 1948. After the mural was used in those ceremonies, it was hung in the pioneer tabernacle for many years. Over those years there were some unpleasant conversations with several representatives of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers who decided that they owned this mural, that it belonged to them, for which reason mom was to hand it over immediately. The only thing she handed over immediately to these rude people was the door. It wasn’t until after both parents died that my brother and I collected the rolled, protected mural and gave it to the Vernal chapter of this famous organization. What did we receive in return? Nada. Not a note, not a card, not phone call, thank you very much.
Our house was small, having 5 rooms. The most likely room to use as a surface on which to hang the canvas was our small bedroom. It had three wall without windows. So it was stapled up near the ceiling across two walls. Illumination was provided by several table lamps sitting on the floor with their shades removed, not a particularly great quality of light but it did the job. So he alternately stood on a chair to reach the top, and knelt on the floor to reach the bottom.
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This tabernacle was constructed of bricks in the late 1800’s and was used solely for religious meeting. It contained a single ‘room’ which had a balconey that ran around three walls, including the one where the photographer stands in this next photo:
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The rope hanging across the top of the photo secured the spot light that illuminated the mural . The mural was a stylized view of the arduous, deadly trek made by the “Mormon” Pioneers across the plains, seeking refuge from mobs and state governments which persecuted them, sometimes with justification. Salt Lake Valley provided that protection and allowed the fledgling faith to take root and thrive, assuring its survival. This photo shows a conference in which kids under the age of 12 ere going to sing as part of the program.
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