Not Alone

Minervia Teichert is a favorite artist for me. She painted the mural on the chapel wall faced each week in the church that I attended as a young boy. She was born in Ogden, Utah and grew up on a ranch in Idaho. The history books show that she became the first woman to be sent by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on an artistic mission - first to study at the Art Institute of Chicago under John Vanderpoel, and then at the Art Students League of New York under Robert Henri.

Women and western themes feature prominently in Teichert's works. Teichert is known for a set of 42 murals from the Book of Mormon, as well as her murals inside the Manti Utah Temple

This is one of Minerva Teichert's most cherished works. In the image we see Mary Fielding Smith with her son Joseph F. Smith crossing the plains with their ox cart. To the right of the image we see the spiritual guardians that protected Mary Fielding Smith on her journey to Zion, hence the title "Not Alone". At the bottom of the picture, Minerva Teichert gives the title of the image and the date 1847, the year of the great migration to the West.
This is Teichert at her best as she portrays the tremendous faith and courage of the pioneer women.