Appendix 2 | Sculptural Assistants

Brilliant as the Sculptors are, most of them did not do it alone. These equally brilliant artists helped with their talents as well.

Ernest Frederick Demke

Ernest Demke was born in Salt Lake City. He was a painting contractor who specialized in Gold Leafing. He was contracted to leaf and releaf many of the Angel Moroni statues worldwide.^[1]Deseret News. “Obituary: Ernest F. Demke.” Deseret News, Deseret News, 22 Dec. 2000, http://www.deseret.com/2000/12/21/19550516/obituary-ernest-f-demke.

When the Seattle Washington Angel Moroni statue was damaged during shipment, Brother Demke flew out to Seattle the same day the statue arrived. He annd another stayed up all night October 24 through the morning of October 25 releafing the statue with just plastic wrapped scaffolding to protect them for the cold night air.^[2]Young, Richard, Personal Interview with Brian Olson and Marvin Quist, 10 July 2018

Richard Young

Richard Young, Owner and operator of Young Fine Art Studio in Salt Lake City, apprenticed to Avard Fairbanks for 18 years. During that time, Richard Young assisted Dr. Fairbanks in the creation of the 15-foot-tall replica of his Washington D.C. Temple statue. Richard’s studio was also the studio that cast the statue.

Richard is a talented and accomplished sculptor in his own right.

When the Seattle Washington Temple statue broke during shipping, Richard Young flew out with gilder Ernest Demke. Richard and an onsite contractor welded the horn back into place on the statue.^[3]Young, Richard, Personal Interview with Brian Olson and Marvin Quist, 10 July 2018

J. Dell Morris

J. Dell Morris was an accomplished artist, sculptor and teacher. He graduated from BYU with a Bachelors of Arts in 1961, and a Masters in art from BYU in 1971.

Dell was an accomplished artist, sculptor and teacher.

He studied with Millard Malin, with whom he helped sculpt the life-size dinosaurs for the museum of Natural History in Vernal.

He studied with Avard Fairbanks, and assisted him with the priesthood restoration monument on Temple Square.

Morris was invited with 7 other artists to submit designs for the Washington D.C. Temple. His design lost out to Avard Fairbanks, and sadly was never used.^[4]Mortuary, Holbrook. “Obituary for J. Dell Morris: Holbrook Mortuary.” Obituary for J. Dell Morris | Holbrook Mortuary, CFS, 12 Aug. 2019, http://www.holbrookmortuary.com/obituary/JDell-Morris.

Brother Morris assisted Karl Quilter with the creation of his 1985 statue, and his signature joins Karl’s on the bottom of the statue.

Brother Morris also assisted LaVar Wallgren with the creation of the font and Oxen for the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. The pair also created the Sunstone, Moonstone, and starstones for the Temple exterior.^[5]Moore, Carrie A. “Resurrecting a Temple.” Deseret News, Deseret News, 2 July 2000, https://www.deseret.com/2000/7/2/19515547/resurrecting-a-temple.

Elbert Hindley Porter

Elbert Porter was born in Orderville, Utah. In his twenties he received art training from Maynard Dixon. During World War II, he was a patternmaker for Solar Aircraft Co. in California.

Elbert studied at Brigham Young University. He received his master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Utah and taught sculpture classes there for 12 years.

Elbert Porter sculpted the dinosaurs for Vernal’s dinosaur gardens.^[6]Porter, Elbert H. (Elbert Heaton). “BYU Library – Special Collections.” Collection: Elbert H. Porter Papers | BYU Library – Special Collections, https://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/14/resources/2296.

He is famous for having created the 8-foot-tall gold-leafed Angel Moroni that was used in five World’s Fairs. This statue has the distinction of being the first fiberglass Angel Moroni.

Elbert Porter assisted Millard Malin with the creation of the Oxen, Font, and Angel Moroni statue for the Los Angeles Temple, and further assisted with the creation of the Oxen and Font for the Bern, London, and Hamilton Temples.^[7]Malin, Millard Fillmore 1891-1975. Millard F. Malin autobiographical sketch, circa 1966, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record?id=e0701179-d2c5-42e4-80de-dda999ecd13d&view=summary&subView=arrangement, accessed: August 8, 2019.

Maurice Brooks

Brooks was born in Edgewood, Nevada. He graduated from the University of Utah.

Brooks was an apprentice to sculptor Millard F. Malin. He helped Malin he assisted in designing the Mormon Battalion on the Utah State Capitol and the Sugar House Monument in Salt Lake City.^[8]“Maurice E. Brooks.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org\wiki\Maurice_E._Brooks, 1 Nov. 2020.

Brooks also assisted Millard Malin with the design of the Angel Moroni Statue, the Fonts, and the Oxen at the Los Angeles Temple. He further assisted Malin with the creation of the Font and Oxen at Bern, London, and New Zealand.^[9]Malin, Millard Fillmore 1891-1975. Millard F. Malin autobiographical sketch, circa 1966, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record?id=e0701179-d2c5-42e4-80de-dda999ecd13d&view=summary&subView=arrangement, accessed: August 8, 2019.

He was also a painter, and like many artists he painted scenes in Dixie, southwestern Utah. One of his paintings depicting Native Americans dancing was acquired by the Springville Museum of Art.
Brooks died in Salt Lake City, and his funeral was held at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.