In late March I saw the glorious LDS International Art Competition in the Church’s Museum of History and Art in Salt Lake City, UT. It was and is splendid, diverse, and breathtaking. As the Church’s website explains:
This year’s competition invites viewers to explore the powerful gospel message that “all are alike unto God” (Book of Mormon – 2 Nephi 26:33). Among the varied themes found in this rich body of work, viewers can see expressions of inclusion, diversity, community, and the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for all humanity.
Entries were received from church members and friends in 25 countries. 148 pieces were selected for the final exposition, and several were chosen to receive awards.
The works themselves are being displayed at the church’s Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States until April 1, 2023.
All of the selected works can be seen online here.
One glorious entry hanging on the walls was Alyce Bailey’s triptych of sheep. Alyce Bailey is a successful young artist born in Australia and living in Tasmania (the small island at the bottom of Australia.)These images, collectively titled “The Others,” was selected for a Merit Award that included a cash prize.
An online write-up about describes Alyce’s entry:
In this work, three breeds of sheep confront the viewer, inviting close and careful study.In response to the Art Exhibition’s call for work, Alyce says this about her woolly trio:
“During his mortal and post-mortal ministry, the Saviour often referred to himself as the Good Shepherd. As the Good Shepherd, he knew each of his sheep intimately and loved them unconditionally, ministering to those of his flock who were lost, sick, unclean, or afraid. He invited all to hear his voice and to come unto him that he might lead them home safely.”
“Regardless of breed, gender, or pedigree, in the eyes of the Good Shepherd, we as His sheep are all alike and are known, loved, and wanted.”
I reached out to Alyce to highlight her here at Segullah. I’m thrilled she agreed! Now I get to share our trans-Pacific conversation with you.
First I asked about her family and upbringing. She says:
Alyce: I was born in Wollongong, Australia. I am the oldest of 4 children. I have 2 sisters, a brother and a cat/studio assistant named Theodore. I have the looks and have the temperament of my Dad and the creativity of my Mum. When I was 5, my family moved to Griffith, after my Dad got a job working as an accountant on Kooba, (one of the Church’s farms). Looking back, a lot of my favourite moments of childhood were spent on the farm and it was where my love of animals really took hold and my dream of becoming a rural veterinarian was born.
Growing up, a lot of my school holidays were spent with my grandfather, who would stay with us for 3 months at a time. For me, a lot of this time was spent listening to the stories of his childhood as he worked in the garden or on some other building project. It was during this time together that my interest in family history grew and because a lot of his stories involved animals they have remained with me over the years, I now use them within my artworks. Chances are, if there is painting of a fox, it stems back to one of his stories.
When I was 11 my family moved to Tasmania (the small island at the bottom of Australia) and I have lived and worked here since.
Segullah: Have you been LDS your whole life or are you a convert?
Alyce: Although I was born into the Church, I also consider myself to be a convert. During my later teenage years, I decided to leave the church for a time, and that’s when I was able to truly understand and appreciate just how much how much peace, joy and purpose the Gospel brought into my life. Although probably not ideal, without experiencing that contrast, my testimony and relationship with my Saviour wouldn’t be where it is today.
Segullah: Do you have any stories you can share where art/creativity and the Gospel have intertwined, inspired you, challenged you?
Alyce: As members of the church, we covenant to mourn with those that mourn, and I think especially when it comes to creating artwork, there is a great power that comes in allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Early on, a lot of my paintings were autobiographical in nature and although beautiful, they often explored some of the pretty hardcore emotions I faced while struggling with severe depression and anxiety. Although difficult at times, in allowing myself to be vulnerable in the creation of my works, I had the opportunity to help others to better understand their own struggles in ways that I could never have dreamed of.
Segullah: Did you get formal art training? Do you have suggestions for those who also want to be professional artists?
Alyce: For the most part, I am a self taught artist. In terms of formal art training, I studied art at BYU from 2018-2019 and plan on heading back at the end of the year. A lot of my art training has been on the job so to speak as I was only 19 when I started working as an artist full time. Looking back it definitely feels as though I was running before I cold walk, but I learned a lot of valuable lessons early on that have enabled me to discover what my strengths are, what my motivations for creating my highest priorities, and what my strengths are.
In terms of making an impression in the art world, one thing that I’ve found to be invaluable is to have a strong signature style. Authenticity is a beautiful thing, and I think people are drawn to that. I kind of lucked out in discovering my signature style in my last year of high school. Although my work has changed over the years, there are some integral parts that have remained and have allowed my works to become recognisable to viewers. In addition to developing a signature style, you need to love what you do. If you are passionate about it, others will recognise and respond to that.
Segullah: How did you decide to go to BYU? Was US life – or BYU life – an adjustment for you?
Alyce: Prior to the divine intervention that helped me to make my decision to apply to BYU, I had already begun to make adjustments in my life and work that enabled the process to go a lot smoother. When I received the prompting that I needed to attend BYU, I had been listening to “The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord” by Elder Packer. In his devotional, Elder Packer asks those who create some poignant questions, and I took those to heart. At the time I already knew that I needed to change the direction of my work to centre more around family history, but when seeking counsel from a trusted mentor about those changes, I was encouraged not to rock the boat. I was onto a good thing, why put that in jeopardy? Ultimately it was at BYU that I received the support I needed and where I found myself surrounded by those who understood my motivations for creating That has been the best adjustment of all.
Interestingly enough, my favourite class that I took in my time at BYU was American Heritage. It definitely lived up to its gruelling reputation, but I loved it and learned a lot about myself in the process!
And you aren’t wrong. Much like attending BYU, being and artist wasn’t something I would have picked for myself. Growing up, it was always my dream to become a vet but in my last 2 years of high school, I really struggled with my mental health and ultimately needed to give up on my dream. Art was something I could still do and do well, so I ran with that and with the support of my teacher, was signed by a gallery soon after graduating. Although it was a really difficult experience at the time, I now know that being an artist is what I was made for, and I really love what I do.
Segullah: What are your impressions of the US from the tume you were here? Was there any culture shock?
Alyce: I genuinely loved my time in the United States, although to be perfectly honest, Utah drivers terrify me (haha!). I don’t think I experienced too much culture shock, aside from the fact there are chapels and temples seemingly on every corner in Utah.
Segullah: The titles of your paintings are evocative. Can you share some insight into them?
Alyce: “The Sins of The Fathers” depicts a thylacine [an extinct Australiant marsupial] draped in the green mariner shell necklace traditionally worn by the Tasmanian aboriginals.
This piece was a finalist in the Glover Landscape prize and explores both my feelings towards the early history of the colonisation of Tasmania and the similarities between how the early settlers treated both the thylacine and the indigenous population.
“Gumnuts and Buttons” is an educational resource used to teach Tasmanian school children the history of the colonisation of Tasmania. This piece has significant meaning to my family as one of my ancestors was a soldier during this time and he is depicted as the fox draped in buttons, his red coat reflecting the one he would have worn at the time. I created this piece after discovering this connection to the place I call home in an attempt to reconcile my feelings of the past to my family’s connection to it.
“The One” was a finalist in the church’s previous art competition and is a spiritual self portrait exploring how I was able to become clean through the atonement of Jesus Christ and how was given the strength to once again join the ninety and nine.
“Thither” is the poster child of my most recent show “The Long Way Home.” Badgers are generally homebodies, and I guess it’s a self portrait exploring the emotions I’ve experienced when faced with the challenge of giving up one home in an attempt to find another.
Segullah: Each of these creatures is so expressive, so full of soul. Can you share more about your feelings about the animals you create? Are they individual animals you know and whose personalities you know? Or do you imbue them with nobility/innocence/wisdom in the process of painting them? Could you riff a little on the symbolism you’d like viewers to recognize? Or do you intend for the viewers to come to their own conclusions?
Alyce: I think the old saying that the eyes are the window to the soul definitely applies to the
works, and its usually when they have a life of their own that I know that they are finished. Whilst a lot of the works are self portraits created primarily for myself as a way of better understanding and navigating the world, some like “Lulu” or “Aurora”, were created as commissions for others. Lulu belongs to a friend of mine and I know her quite well. It was definitely an interesting challenge to try and capture her spirit on canvas, but I think we got there in the end.
As a person, I consider myself to be quite emotionally intelligent and prefer to wear my heart on my sleeve I think that some of those traits inadvertently rub off on the works. There are certainly some pieces that I consider to be old friends and others that I still have yet to understand.
In terms of symbolism and my choice in animals, sometimes my works can be interpreted as modern fables and I like to use some of the more common animals that already have an imbued meaning, like a crafty fox, proud lion, loyal dog or brave mouse. At their best, fables are incredibly simple yet profound and can be understood by all ages, and as an artist that is something I strive for within my works. In terms of the moral of the fable, I generally like to leave that to the viewer to draw their own conclusion.
Segullah: Your amazing animal portraits are SO expressive, personable, and noble! When I saw your trio at the Church International Art Exhibit in Salt Lake, I could hardly contain myself. Are animals your favorite models? Are there other media – or subject matter – you really enjoy working with? Tell me the secret of the gorgeous drippiness! Do you work from photos or do your animal subjects actually cooperate by sitting still patiently and looking fabulous?
Alyce: Looking back, animals have always been the subjects of my work and I think what I love about them most is their emotional accessibility. Like you said, animals can be incredibly expressive and because we are human, we constantly anthropomorphise everything to try and understand ourselves better. Honestly, as this stage, I don’t think that is something that I’ll ever tire of exploring.
In terms of my secret of the drips, all I’m going to say is that it all started out as a happy accident with a hairdryer. This is one of the most common questions I am asked about my work, and I usually try to leave this open to interpretation and will instead ask the viewer what it means to them. For me, along with the negative space of the background, the drips invite an emotional response to the work. Is it blood, sweat, tears, or a representation of a fleeting emotion immortalised on canvas? Well, that depends entirely on you.
Because I don’t have ready access to a zoo, I do use a lot of photographs to help create my works. Usually I have an idea of a piece in mind and will digitally construct the animals pose from several photographs to ensure that it is somewhat anatomically correct.
Segullah: Who would you say are among the most influential patrons or mentors for you in your art development? In what ways did they help shape you?
Alyce: I think some of my most influential mentors have been the ones who have been with me from the start: my high school teacher who saw my potential; my family who love me unconditionally, keep me humble and who always cheer me on; the gallery director who nurtured my career; the artists who offered their encouragement; and the viewers who make what I do worthwhile. I think when someone genuinely believes in you and offers encouragement, it is such a powerful gift, especially when you are young. With that said, whenever I see a child drawing or painting, I always try to take the time to listen to the story behind their work and to offer genuine praise and encouragement, because even though it is a such a small thing to do, it can mean the world to them.
Segullah: Are you focusing on fine art and gallery shows?
Alyce: Early on in my career, I focused purely on exhibiting my works in a traditional gallery setting and didn’t really have the need/desire to work on commissions. Last year however, I decided to step away from showing commercially, to better prepare myself to continue my studies and have since completed several commissions. To my surprise, I really have enjoyed the process of building more personal relationships with my collectors. Although leaving my gallery was a scary decision to make, but I feel that it was the right one. It has allowed me the creative freedom and flexibility to build my career in a more sustainable way. I think as artists, sometimes we need to make those difficult changes to help us find that balance we need to be able to grow.
Professionally speaking, in the next 10 years, I would love to have several international solo shows, the opportunity to work with some wonderful galleries and to finish off my BFA. Honestly though, I would just love the opportunity to create works that allow me to fulfil my sense of purpose every day and my ultimate career goal would be to create a work of art that is worthy to hang in a temple of the Lord.
Segullah: Can you share some of your thoughts about the global Church and the human/divine appeal of the Gospel?Have you noticed the Church experience “growing pains” as it becomes more international?
Alyce: I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it provides answers to the deepest questions of the human heart – who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going. More than that, it allows us to experience the peace that comes in knowing that death isn’t the end and that families can be together forever. It may sound like a cliché, but when you really think about it, that knowledge is everything.
I haven’t experienced the growing pains as such, more the pain that comes in watching those that I love lose their faith. In Australia, the church is a lot smaller, but I think that allows the opportunity for members to truly learn how to lead and serve.
Recently one small but quite impactful difference I noticed, was that in some of the family wards I have visited in Utah, the members don’t seem to sing with the same level of joy or enthusiasm as back home, but maybe that’s because they don’t have to compete with as many tone deaf members (haha!).
Segullah: Who do you consider your support system as you look toward the future?
Alyce: I have some wonderful friends who are both professional artists and mothers. When asking them those same questions, they encouraged me to find a supportive man, to take advantage of nap time and reminded me that kids do eventually go to school. Most importantly, they told me that every sacrifice you make as a mother is worth it.
Segullah: What advice might you give to other aspiring (or already professional) women artists?
Alyce: Be brave, do what you love, and rock the boat!
