Artist's Faith Fueled Masterpieces Despite Poverty

An exhibition at the Springville Museum of Art, titled "Enduring Beauty: John Hafen and the Power of Art," is currently showcasing over 60 of the artist's works. This exhibition offers a comprehensive look at John Hafen's legacy, featuring landscapes, portraits, and original temple murals.

Hafen, a Latter-day Saint painter and pioneer, was not widely recognized during his lifetime and often struggled financially to support his family. Despite these challenges, his contributions to Utah's artistic heritage, particularly his work as a landscape artist and a devout man of faith, are now being celebrated.

In 1890, Hafen was part of a group of artists sent to Paris by early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to refine their painting skills. This experience was pivotal, preparing him and others to create the original murals for the historic Salt Lake Temple, dedicated in 1893.

Hafen's life exemplified perseverance through hardship, with his art serving as a testament to his faith and his belief in art's power to strengthen devotion. He advocated for art's essential role in building faith and character, organizing the Utah Art Institute and co-founding the Springville Art Movement.

The exhibition runs through July 25 and is free to the public. Visitors can experience over 60 of Hafen's diverse works, from his early "primitive, amateurist" pieces to his more refined, impressionist-style paintings, showcasing his development as an artist.