Wendy Balderson Keller and Professor Robert T. Barrett, Visual Arts
Illustration has the ability to create awareness of different cultures in a way that can educate and inspire. As the church continues to expand globally, the leaders of the church have recognized the need for increased understanding and appreciation of the rich ethnic diversity which exists. President Hinckley stated, “We must resolve to live together in a society of men and women of diverse backgrounds, interests, and cultures. We must live with respect and tolerance and understanding one for another. We can and should retain our individuality, and respect that of others, while nurturing together a great society dedicated to the blessing of all who reside here. We must work cooperatively to maintain and enhance those elements of our common culture, those expressions of the arts which refine and elevate the human spirit.”(Utah Centennial Day Celebration, January 4, 1996.)
Through my project, I feel that as an illustrator I was able to help foster this cultural unity which President Hinckley speaks of. I completed four oil paintings of the Hutterites, a Mennonite sect similar to the Amish, who are scattered across the northern plains. They are descended from the 16th-century Anabaptists, whose condemnation of infant baptism made them heretics. These pacifists take their name from an early leader, Jacob Hutter. After moving around Europe for three centuries to avoid persecution, they immigrated to the United States in the 1870’s. They have thrived here. More than 35,000 Hutterites now live in roughly 400 colonies in Montana, Washington, the Dakotas, Minnesota, and western Canada. They support themselves through agriculture and some manufacturing, and are characterized by their strong Christian faith, hard work ethic, and simple way of life.
There are several Hutterite colonies surrounding the small town in rural southern Alberta where I was raised, and I grew up knowing the Hutterites as my neighbors and friends. They are a quiet, self sufficient people who keep to themselves, but for generations they have had a close tie to my family which has allowed me a unique perspective of them. This fascinating group of people is relatively unknown to society as a whole, and my objective with this project was to educate others as well as celebrate their unique culture, and I feel that this objective has been met. I hoped to document and help preserve this culture for future generations. Painting allows us to see elements of life which cannot be recorded on film. It is a significant record, which goes beyond the facts because of the vitality and individualism which can be expressed. As our society continues to progress at rapid speed, it’s valuable to learn from other groups of people who have maintained their traditions.
As mentioned, I completed four narrative oil paintings depicting meaningful cultural activities of the Hutterites, focusing specifically on people at different stages of life. This involved thorough research of their culture. I feel that the most beneficial aspect of the research was visiting several different colonies and talking with the people. I learned a great deal from them and was captivated by their enthusiasm, as well as their curiosity about my project. Over the course of five months I took several hundred pictures which I used as reference for my paintings. They normally don’t permit photography, but they allowed me to in this situation and seemed quite flattered and excited about having their pictures taken. The children especially saw this as quite a new adventure, and they would follow me around, giggling and acting shy. The time that I spent visiting the colonies was priceless, and I feel that it enhanced my personal feelings and excitement about the project.
After collecting all my research, I spent quite a bit of time reviewing the pictures and working on rough drafts. My mentor, Robert Barrett, was very helpful at this stage. I was able to narrow it down to four scenes, which I worked and reworked until I was ready to paint. I thoroughly enjoyed the painting phase of this project. I was able to spend a great deal of time on each painting, and I approached each one with anticipation. I was pleased with the final result, and exhibited the pieces in the Brimhall Gallery August 2-13, 1999.
I enjoyed working on a project that was so meaningful to me, and allowed me to do several pieces in a similar style. As I worked on it I referred often to the works of Richard Schmid, Burt Silverman, and John Singer Sargent, who I admire very much. It was especially fortunate that Silverman had an exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art throughout the summer, which I spent much time studying and enjoying. This project helped me develop a clearer idea of what I want to do professionally, and what kind of subject matter interests me most. It has opened up a flood of ideas for future projects which I am excited to get started on. I feel that this project is only a starting point for me – I intend to continue painting and sketching the Hutterites in the future.
The role that art plays to educate and inspire can not be underestimated. Two weeks ago my parents attended the funeral of Jake Wipf, a Hutterite who had been a longtime friend of my family. My parents took a small copy of one of the paintings I had done and people would hardly let it go. It meant so much to them and they begged for copies. I have since sent the paintings home and are planning to exhibit them in the area. I think the paintings will be especially significant to the people in southern Alberta that are familiar with the Hutterites. This project has allowed me to assist in building bridges of understanding between two different cultures, as well as provide an important step in my career as an illustrator.