Step into Arnold Friberg's studio with new exhibit

Step into Arnold Friberg's studio with new exhibit

(Springville Museum of Art)


4 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

Editor's note: KSL.com does a weekly feature on artists in the community. If you have a painter, sculptor, musician or creative genius in mind, feel free to email your submission to fjolley@ksl.com. Please include a contact email for the artist, if available.SPRINGVILLE — It’s the surprise exhibit that came together with help from unexpected places.

In December, the museum was approached by Brandon Pehrson, a local real estate developer and contractor, and Kaycee Dunfield, who had recently bought the former home of artist Arnold Friberg. Beloved by Utahns for his artwork depicting religious scenes in the Book of Mormon, the famous interpretation of General George Washington in “Prayer at Valley Forge” and his work on the Cecil B. DeMille film “The 10 Commandments,” Friberg is perhaps Utah’s most well-known and influential artist.

Along with Friberg’s Holladay home, Pehrson and Dunfield were also in possession of Friberg’s studio, which was falling apart from years of water damage and disrepair. But there was something in the building Pehrson knew was worth saving — study sketches made directly on the studio’s drywall.

“I’m not really an art collector and as I had them in my possession, I thought, these have to be worth something, these have to have value; whether that’s to sell them or donate them, I’m open to all options,” Pehrson said.

The charcoal sketches, which include water damage from a roof in ill repair and portions that were narrowly rescued from being painted over, are a look into Friberg’s artistic process. Pehrson got in touch with the Springville Museum of Art to discuss options for acquisition, preservation and possible storage of the pieces.

“It was just very magical to be in a space where you got to see a little more of the artist’s process. So the conversation evolved and he was saying, ‘You know, we need to get these out, how to get these out without damaging them.’ They were pretty vulnerable,” Springville Museum of Art’s director Dr. Rita Wright said. “I just thought, ‘Wow, this is just a little time capsule to be able to capture and look at what his process was like.’”

Wright and her colleagues came up with the idea to shuffle the museum’s exhibition schedule around and exhibit the pieces after they were exhumed from the space. Working with Pehrson and his contractors, they removed the pieces of sheetrock with the sketches, supported, framed, moved and hung them at the museum. In addition to trunks, images, signage, tools and other pieces from the studio, a private collector also contributed an old roll of craft paper with some of Friberg’s drawings for the “From the Studio of Arnold Friberg” exhibit.

Related Stories:

“It makes it a little view into an artist’s studio and these works that have never been seen by the public,” Wright said. “This is just such a fun collaboration to work with someone (Pehrson) who is not really versed in art but recognized he had something that people might like to see.”

It’s a piece of history that Pehrson feels lucky to be a part of.

“To have an opportunity to have anything to do with his legacy has been so very much enjoyable,” he said.

To get your own look at a little bit of Utah’s art history, visit the Springville Museum of Art through May 13.


![Celeste Tholen](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2588/258877/25887704\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Celeste Tholen \--------------------------------

Celeste is the former Deputy Managing Editor at KSL.com and now works in marketing. She spends most of her spare time balancing conflicting interests in the outdoors and movies/television. You can follow Celeste on Twitter: @CelesteTholen

Photos

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahEntertainment

STAY IN THE KNOW

Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

KSL Weather Forecast