DiscussMormonism.com

An article was recently published on beliefnet about Images of the Restoration, a website that publishes some of my Mormon-themed artwork. IOTR is dedicated to publishing historically accurate artwork depicting Mormon history. The factual assertions made by the images must be backed up with evidence. Any artist who wants to publish something on IOTR must be willing to change the image to reflect the best information, and viewers are encouraged to point out material inaccuracies.

The author of the article spent some time interviewing Mormons of various stripes, including artists, apologists, local leaders, and the people at Church headquarters, trying to see what they thought of it. If you're interested, check it out:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2008/02/ ... nsored.php

-JV

One of his illustrations, "Almera Woodward Johnson Smith," depicts Smith seated on a bed
beside one of his (much younger) wives. It's clear that she has little interest in Smith's romantic
advances. When the artist showed the image to friends, they were "totally creeped out ...

Church officials have little appetite -- or patience -- for the site.

Kim Farah, a spokeswoman(a.k.a. paid puppet) at church headquarters in Salt Lake City, expressed "zero interest" in commenting on the "anti-Mormon" blog.

The images are based on historical truth! What a dumb biotch she is for labeling the art anti-mormon.

Thanks for posting the link, JV. I just recently looked at the images on the site and I find them, and the project itself, very interesting in terms of the history of Mormon history. I'll probably email the artists at IOTR about some questions and ideas and carry this conversation further there...thanks again.

I visited the site a few days ago and found it very interesting. I was especially intrigued with the 9 versions of the vision that Moksha posted. That is totally "poster" quality material. Are some of these in poster and purchasable form?

One of his illustrations, "Almera Woodward Johnson Smith," depicts Smith seated on a bed
beside one of his (much younger) wives.

[She]… was thirty-one at the time of her marriage.

How old was Joseph?

Thank you, Juggler Vain, for that website. It's about time someone took up the gauntlet and produced some historically accurate Mormon art.

Boaz & Lidia wrote:

Kim Farah, a spokeswoman (a.k.a. "paid puppet") at church headquarters in Salt Lake City, expressed "zero interest" in commenting on the "anti-Mormon" blog.

The images are based on historical truth! What a dumb biotch she is for labeling the art anti-mormon.

I would have to agree. Although in FAIRness, chances are she isn't well-versed in Mormon history and has no idea that those images are, in fact, historically accurate.

Isn't it funny how the truth is always so anti-Mormon?

Interesting stuff, JV! You are a very talented artist! Welcome to the board.

Now I know where PP(Boaz) got his avatar. Thanks for providing him with a classy substitute for his old one.

;)

Very interesting. I was just looking through that yesterday.

In the past few years - when visiting my parents - I've started to notice more of the Mormon art. There is one artist in particular that I have noticed - Liz Lemon Swindle. I was looking at a book of her art that my parents have. It has just a pencil drawing of Joseph Smith being tarred and feathered. Her comment was that she couldn't bear to finish that piece, it was too emotional for her.

In doing so I imagine she would have to look up the facts surrouding that event. I find it hard to believe she would remain so emotional about it after knowing all the facts.

In any event, I did wonder about one of your representations. Joseph Smith in Carthage Jail. I don't contest that he had a weapon and a bottle of wine. However, in the way it's represented it seems a bit more of a party than 4-6 men could have on one bottle of wine. If 4 men split 1 bottle of wine it would be one glass each.

I grew up, of course, seeing the many representations of Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon, looking very studiously over the Golden Plates and reading them outloud. It wasn't until after I'd left the church that I realized I'd never seen a representation of the Urin and Thummin. Even later that I learned about the stone in the hat. The first representation I saw of that was quite powerful, a real WTF moment.

One last note about relgious art - we received a book called A Savior Is Born for Christmas. It shows a blond haired, blue eyed baby Jesus. This Jesus could not be more Arian.