Provo Tabernacle-Finished Version

I finished up my Provo Tabernacle painting last week in preparation for the upcoming show my class has set up at the Window Box Gallery next weekend. As you can see from the preliminary study below, there were a lot of refinements that took place. I think the most glaring issue I had to deal with was the vertical lines. As I studied my progress, I realized that some of the walls canted to the east rather glaringly. I also was struggling with how to depict the rather rigid structure of the scaffolding. 

I decided to try a trick that I learned from painter friend Rob Adamson which involved using metal straightedges to get straight lines. I dug my eight inch and three inch drywall knives out of the shed and put them to work. By resting the straight edge on my painting and making a clean stroke, I found I could keep lines parallel, consistent and surprise, straight. It's also important to keep the edge clean after every stroke to prevent unintended transfer of paint to other areas of the work. This made a big difference and It is something I plan to continue using when I need a crisp line while painting.

The show including this painting and all the other wonderful work created by my students will be at the Window Box Gallery during December. Opening social will be  during the Friday Night Gallery Stroll, December 2, 2011 from 6;00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Painting the Provo Tabernacle

Provo Tabernacle- 8" x 10" oil on board by Greg Newbold

A couple weeks ago our class decided to paint the Provo Tabernacle. Built in the 1880's, the Provo Tabernacle had been an iconic city landmark as well as a religious meeting hall for over a century when a spectacular midnight fire consumed all but the facade and towers last December.

The building was stabilized using an extensive scaffolding network while decisions were made as to what would happen to the remaining walls. At the October  General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints it was announced that the historic building would be restored and rebuilt as a temple.

With this news in hand I decided it would be a fun opportunity to document a building would soon be resurrected to its former glory and serve a new purpose for another century. While we were all gathered painting, the owner of the Window Box Gallery across the street approached us and asked if we would like to show our collected works in her gallery during December.

Painting the tabernacle now seems like an inspired decision as all the students in the class will now have a chance to show and sell their work. I'l be finishing my picture for the show as well. The pieces will all be on display starting Dec 2, 2011. The opening will coincide with the Provo Gallery Stroll from 6:00 - 9:00 pm that night.

Window Box Gallery is located at 62 West Center, Provo UT, 84601
More about the purpose of LDS temples