Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-24
CAREER OF JOHN HAFEN'
Sic IL Given Full Page in Big Daily,
which Ayers That Ais finan-
ciaI Future lie Assured.

that He may Work to Realize His
Ideal Without Financial Worry The
article is as follows
In order that an artist Of their falth
may attain the highest ideals, the au-
,horities OF the Mormon Church guar
antee his support and he pursues his
course unhampered and unrestricted ny
anxieties over financial matters
He Is the only artist In the Wotla
whose support Is guaranteed ny thr
Church of his faith. He Is deY0ut
Mormon and he lives In SALT Lake Guy
John Hafen Is his name.
The Mormon Church has created
fund and guaranteed Artist Haien a
regular monthly income Tor inc pal-
ance Of his life.
The only condition Is that Mr. Hafen
Is to nut his whole soul and time into
art and portray on canvas the beauties
of Mormonland.
Prominent art critics, who are famil-
lar with his work agree that the boy
who was brought up on q farm close
by Salt Lake. has remarkable talent
They all say, too, that the Mormon
Church made no mistake In Offering
him every opportunity to work out his
art undisturbed,
Mr.. Hafen's art is distinctly Of Utah.
He paints Utah as the lover would
paint the idol OF his heart.
In no other state Of the Union can
nm artist find more TO delight his
sense of the beautiful than in the won
derlands Of Utah.
II Is a land OF lakes, mountains ana
canyons; land Of meadows and OF
wooded rivers. Of plains and wilder
ness. The scenery Of Utah Is never
commonplace. 1t Is varlably plctur-
esque
Hafen's Farm Scene" painted out
OF doors, before he had been TO any
school or received any instruction in
art, attests 10 his great talent IL
was in evidence Of their appreciation
OF his early study of nature. that the
Mormon Apostles undertook the art
education OF Mr.. Hafen
He loves Utah and all that Utah EN-
braces. His Church most Of all.
He decorated the Mormon Temple
and his painting Is said to be equis-
he.
Utahans compare him TO MiIlet, for
they say he moves the admirer Of his
work 60 love what he loves. Like MIL
let. too, ne loves best the modest and
humble walks OF life and never seeks
10 startle by dramatic effect, but by
preaching eloquent sermons from the
humblest texts,
Before Hafen had attained any wide
or even local distinction his little
studies which breathed healthfuL at
mosphere indicated that real artist
poet had been raised in Mormonland.
His pictures were painted cut OF doors,
entirely from nature,
This idea was altogether his own,
All the artists he had ever known
painted their pictures in the studio.
They were based entirely on theory
and the boy artist thought them alto
gether too conventional.
He went to nature FOR inspiration and
guidance, and was strongly drawn az
ter sunlight and atmosohere, He
handled coloring with yirility and as
tonishing franknees.
Although brought up In Utah, Mr.
Hafen Is Of Swiss birth. Not many
years ago, when he was baby N
arms. four apostles Of the Mormon
Church were appointed 10 foreign mis-
eions, and Apostle Snow journeyed into
Switzerland. His mission there wal
successful, A revival followed upon
his work.
Among the first IN scherzlnser Can
ton, Thurgan. to come under the influ'
enoe of the Mormon faith We're the par
ents OF John Haten
He was a baby In arms then. hui
as ne grew into boyhood was fixed with
the zeal that characterize the converts
10 the religion Of the Latter-day Saints
The childhood Of Hafeu was passed
amid the scenes and privations o.
pioneer life. and there was very it'll,
time for either play or study.
When he was only years old. will
his two little sisters he had 60 CLEAR
wheat from morning until night Some
times their mother went with them
but more frequently the duty was in
trusted TO the boy,
In this way enough was earned 4
buy breadstuff for the family. VIVA
was left after paying for that went TO-
ward buying clothes
While watching his nocks on thu
marshy bottoms the embryo artist and
herd boy went baref0oted from early
eprlng TO late Autumn.
All this time his heart was set on
Bome day becoming an artist lie hat
inherited his love for pictures from hi.
mother.
Whether they lived In an upholstered
log cabin or dirt walled dug out
their home was beautihed by pictures
which they cut out Of the few news
papers or magazines that came thei
way, selected always with real taste
and framed in the best way possible
Whenever he had \ momen; FOR play
young Hafen spent the time In makInl
drawings on any bit of paper he C0ult
pick up. II none was TO b. found. Do
constructed little houses and corrals
The people and cattle and sheep Whicl
occupied them he modelled from clay
When he was ten years old The fam
ily moved into Salt Lake city.
Three years later he made the nc
ouaintance Of an artist who told hin
something about painting IN oils am
the real nature Of the artist stirre
within him. From that time on q neye
stilled
In spite OF his environment and isola
ton from art centers. the reilnemen
and intelligence OF his work began I
show. When the opportunity 10 8
abroad and study in the Julian Acad
envy at Paris came, he embraced
eagerly
By tilt dlIlIoNdi VI Nil' 4AP' NJ
Apostles the Mormon Church under
took his art education. From the frs
they praised his industry. Their hope
were realized. Their young protege re
turned 20 them after having mad
great advances IN his STUDY
After decorating the interior Of tn
Salt Lake Temple there was no longe
room for any doubt ~ his great ability
Then new idea stirred the minds o
the Apostles
The Young artist. 20 do his best WORK
must be free from all financial worr
and embarrassment. and In order tina
he might follow his inclinatiOns, IN
Mormon Church created q fund upo
which Re can draw so long as he live
In the meantime Mr.. Hafen mus
paint pictures Of Morrnonland, portray
Ing Its beauties. and this Is just exact