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MANTI — Provo police officer Joseph Shinners was laid to rest on Saturday, but support from the community continues. For the past several days, Kaziah Hancock has been trying to make sure an oil-on-canvas portrait of officer Shinners looks just right.
“I just feel like he is a sweet person, of course didn’t know him, but I sense that,” said Kaziah Hancock, an artist who lives in rural Sanpete County.
For more than a decade, Kaziah has volunteered to memorialize fallen officers, firefighters and soldiers from across the United States.
She has personally painted more than 2,000 portraits free of charge for the families, as part of her effort known as Project Compassion, relying on small donations to pay for the supplies.
“Try to make something that will be a blessing to the family, and it looks a lot like him to feel of his love and his personality,” she said.
As soon as she heard the devastating news that officer Shinners had been killed in the line of duty, she got to work.
She says she tries to get to know every person she paints, but admits when an officer or soldier is from Utah, painting a fallen hero is even more meaningful.
“And it hurts my heart you know when they have a wife and children,” she added.
It’s her own way of preserving a memory for each family by giving what she can to keep their memory alive.
“I hope it gives them some comfort — that is the intent, God bless the family.”
If you would like support the effort*, visit heropaintings.com.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
