Favorite Entries in Art Competition Selected The artwork in the Seventh International Art Competition: “Our Heritage of Faith” exhibit touched the lives of visitors to the Museum of Church History and Art during its run from March to September 2006. During that time, more than 5,000 museum patrons cast their votes for their favorite pieces of artwork. In August, the museum announced three artists selected as winners of the Visitors Choice Awards. The winning works of art were among 235 pieces by Latter-day Saint artists from 44 countries displayed for the triennial competition. More than 900 works of art were originally submitted to the competition. Twenty-five artists won Merit Awards in March 2006. The three Visitors Choice winners received $500 cash awards: Benjamin McPherson for his oil painting, And It Was Night…; Susan Comish for an oil painting titled Sabbath Morning; and Justin Kunz for his oil painting, Always Remember Me. Brother McPherson's painting depicts Christ and the Twelve Apostles gathered around a table in a composition reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci's famous fresco of the last supper. McPherson's dramatic lighting focuses attention on the figure of the Savior. His devoted disciples are seated and leaning intently toward Him in contrast to Judas Iscariot who stands and withdraws into the shadows. Brother McPherson's painting was also chosen by the exhibit jurors in March to receive a Merit Award. Susan Comish's painting expresses the challenges Latter-day Saint parents face on Sunday morning as they hurriedly get their families ready for Church meetings. The father points at his watch to remind everyone that the meetings will soon begin, while mother frantically dresses and grooms the young impatient children. Scattered throughout the painting are symbols of the family's faithfulness—a portrait of the Savior, a pillow embroidered with the popular LDS saying “Families are Forever,” six-pointed stars that refer to endless posterity, and right angles symbolizing obedience. Justin Kunz's work examines the questions of faith and eternity. A young mother, holding a baby in her arms and a vase of yellow daisies in one hand, leans toward the gravestone of her deceased husband. Though she appears to stand alone in the cemetery, a large marble statue of the resurrected Christ stands in the background reminding her of the eternal nature of life and of hope in the resurrection. Runners-up in the balloting were Claudio Ramires whose bright painting, Amigo, depicts two young Book of Mormon girls greeting the Savior with cheerful faces and broad smiles; Jay Ward who painted Seed of Faith, another Book of Mormon scene showing a young Ammonite mother dropping a tiny seed into her son's outstretched hand; Julie Rogers, who painted Determination, an emotional handcart rescue scene depicting the story of the Kirkwood brothers who traveled with the Willie handcart company; and Derik Hegsted who painted a full-length image of the Savior holding a tiny, pre-mature baby in His hands. Other favorites of summer visitors included Heed them Not by Sarah Merkley; Armor of God by Michael Coppieters; The Good Shepherd by Eric Dowdle; First Vision by Jeffrey Hein; Bringing Out the Best by Janice Andersen; and Three Figures of Humanity by Naomi Harper. The exhibit was popular with Museum visitors because it featured a wide range of art subjects and styles. Visitors enjoyed the process of selecting their favorite works of art. According to exhibit curator Robert Davis, nearly every one of the works in the exhibit received a vote. “It is always interesting to compare the visitors' favorites with those selected by the formal jury. Usually our visitors pick a different slate of winners, but this year one of the three winners was also originally selected by the formal jury,” Davis said. Though the exhibit ended in September, it will continue to be featured on the Museum's Web site under previous exhibits at www.lds.org/churchhistory/museum.