Latter-day Saint Women Showcase Art At ‘Certain Women’ Exhibit

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A group of 90 Latter-day Saint women artists have brought their talents together in an exhibition titled ” Certain Women.”

It is the second year of the first and only art exhibition dedicated to women who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nicole Woodbury, Laura Ereksen Atkinson and Mary Brickey Cole are the three curators who took the title from Sister Linda K. Burton’s talk “ Certain Women” and from President Russell M. Nelson’s challenge from the 2018 Women’s Session of General Conference to “study the Relief Society’s purpose statement . . . and make your own.”

Each artist worked over the last year to create art that expresses her purpose. A number of the artists worked in different mediums for the first time because of this exhibition.

“The riverboat there, I can’t do a mural of the Mississippi River without one. Mark Twain would turn in his grave,” said Lynde Mott.

Her creativity flows from her inner vision to nearly every surface she touches. Her home is her canvas. Lynde is one of the 90 women invited to create new works for an exhibition. Her piece is titled “Covenant Arrangement.”

“Floral arrangement, but also an arrangement between couples,” she said. “In our relationships, it’s a covenant arrangement but on a different level, an arrangement between ourselves and God.”

She has high hopes that her art and the other works will open people’s eyes.

“I hope that any and all old-fashioned stereotypes will just be obliterated!” she said with a laugh. “We value unity but not conformity. We know that the Lord wants us to be individuals. We know that the glory of God is intelligence, you bet! But it’s also a human being fully alive!”

Whether in her painting or in her home, Lynde Mott’s message is to be inspired and create.

“There’s nothing magic in our hands, you know,” she said. “It’s in our minds and hearts and what we can observe and therefore portray.”

The exhibition at Anthony’s Fine Art, 400 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City, features traditional and contemporary works from artists throughout the country. We joined the three curators – who chose the artists from a group of 250 – as they hung the show.

Mary Brickey said her stained glass, titled, ” The Light Comes Through Our Brokenness,” shows both the strength and vulnerability of women. She feels the exhibition titled, “Certain Women,” a phrase from the New Testament, has a twofold purpose.

“We are certain of our faith in Christ and our devotion to him,” she said.

And the second part – a statement of purpose – comes from Nelson to study the history of their organization, The Relief Society.

“It has the connotation of following the prophet,” Brickey said. “It has the connotation of something very personal and very beautiful for women specifically.”

Laura Erekson’s piece is called “The Things of My Soul.” Her desire is that the artists will build relationships with one another and those who attend the show.

“I hope that people are inspired by these women, by these very personal things that we are putting out there and that it motivates people to better themselves, motivates them to think about their purpose for their life,” she said.

And Nicole Woodbury’s sculpture is titled “The Purpose is in the Reaching.” She hopes this exhibition empowers all women – the artists and the visitors.

“Their divine gifts and attributes can influence the world and that we value them as Latter-day Saints,” she said. “And we value art as Latter-day Saints.”

The exhibition runs through Nov. 9, and all of the artwork is for sale. For more information, got to certainwomenartshow.com.