Avard Fairbanks

“The arts are created for contemplation and edification, the expression of the highest ambitions and the spiritual hope of a people… Art can bring understanding and uplift… It can recognize the finer qualities of men of all stations of life… art ennobles the struggles of life… Art too must have deep concern in the industrial process, religious inspirations, and political programs… our products therefore become great factors in large scale education and community uplift and pride.”

Avard Fairbanks

Birth and Early Life

Avard was born in Provo Utah on 2 March 1987, the last of 11 children. His Mother, Lilly Annette Huish, died about a year after he was born. She had been carrying the 14 month old Avard in one arm and an oil lamp in the other while in their home in Provo Utah. In protecting Avard from a fall and keeping the lamp from setting the home ablaze as well she twisted and injured her back. She died on 8 May 1898 after a period of extended suffering.^[1]Cope, Rachel (August 2003).“John B. Fairbanks: The Man Behind the Canvas”. BYU Scholars Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2019.

His Father, John B. Fairbanks, was an artist famous for having painted murals in some of the early temples. John Fairbanks helped paint Murals in the Salt Lake Temple starting in 1893. In 1917-1918 John painted the World Room Mural in the St. George Utah Temple. Later he collaborated on the Creation Room and Telestial Room Murals in the Manti Utah

Temple. Later John became a professor of art at the Brigham Young Academy (now BYU) in Provo.^[2]Cope, Rachel (August 2003).“John B. Fairbanks: The Man Behind the Canvas”. BYU Scholars Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2019.

Avard Fairbanks comes from a family of artists. His brother, J. Leo Fairbanks was an artist like their father, and was considered by Avard to be his earliest mentor. Avard’s son, Jonathan Leo Fairbanks is a sculptor in his own right and was curator of the Boston Museum of Fine arts in the early 90’s. Avard’s nephew Ortho Fairbanks was also a prolific sculptor, creating many works as well as finishing many of Avard’s works that were in progress when he passed away.^[3]Cope, Rachel (August 2003).“John B. Fairbanks: The Man Behind the Canvas”. BYU Scholars Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2019.

At the age of 12 Avard submitted a sculpture, A Rabbit in Clay, to the 1909 Utah State Fair. The sculpture won him first prize,^[4]“Artist: Avard,” Utah Division of Arts & Museums, State of Utah Art Collections. however the Judge refused to give the award to a mere child.^[5]J. Leo Fairbanks, “Dr. Avard Tennyson Fairbanks: a bit more history” fairbanksartbooks.com

Education

At the age of 13 Avard traveled with his father to New York. John Fairbanks had been hired to make copies of masterpieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for private sale. He spent time during this period working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with his father and modeling animals at the Bronx Zoological Gardens.^[6]“Avard Fairbanks – A Short Biography of the Sculptor,” rheafamily.org, archived 7 June 2015 Avard accompanied his father, and while initially reluctant, the curator eventually allowed Avard to express his skill copying sculpture at the museum alongside his Father.^[7]J. Leo Fairbanks, “Dr. Avard Tennyson Fairbanks: a bit more history” fairbanksartbooks.com Avard became famous for his work, the New York Times covered the story under the headline “Young Michelangelo of this modern day in knickerbockers working at the Metropolitan Museum.” He often spent time during this period modeling animals at the Bronx Zoological Gardens.^[8]“Artist: Avard,” Utah Division of Arts & Museums, State of Utah Art Collections.

While in New York he studied at the Art Students’ League with James Earl Fraser.^[9]Fairbanks, Eugene F. (1972). A Sculptor’s Testimony in Bronze and Stone: The Sacred Sculpture of Avard T. Fairbanks. Salt Lake City, Utah: Publisher’s Press. At the age of 14 his work was put on display at the National Academy of Design.^[10]“Artist: Avard,” Utah Division of Arts & Museums, State of Utah Art Collections.

At the Age of 16 he traveled to Paris to study with Jean Antoine Injalbert at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.^[11]“Artist: Avard,” Utah Division of Arts & Museums, State of Utah Art Collections. At the age of 17 he became the youngest artist to be admitted to the French Salon.^[12]“Artist: Avard,” Utah Division of Arts & Museums, State of Utah Art Collections. The outbreak of World War I cut his studies short, bringing him back to Utah where he finished High School.^[13]“Avard Fairbanks – A Short Biography of the Sculptor,” rheafamily.org, archived 7 June 2015

Beginning Work for the Church

In 1918 Avard sculpted the friezes around the crown of the Laie Hawaii Temple, and along with his brother J. Leo Fairbanks he created some of the sculptures on the temple grounds there, as well as the oxen for the baptistry font.^[14]“Avard Fairbanks – A Short Biography of the Sculptor,” rheafamily.org, archived 7 June 2015

Educator

In the 1920 Avard began a lifelong career of teaching art to others when he was appointed an Assistant Professor at the University of Oregon.^[15]“Artist: Avard,” Utah Division of Arts & Museums, State of Utah Art Collections.

In 1924 he took a leave of absence from the University of Oregon to earn a bachelor’s of fine arts degree from Yale University,^[16]“Avard Fairbanks – A Short Biography of the Sculptor,” rheafamily.org, archived 7 June 2015 after which he returned to the University of Oregon until being awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.^[17]“Avard Fairbanks – A Short Biography of the Sculptor,” rheafamily.org, archived 7 June 2015 The fellowship award allowed him to study with Dante Sodini, and at the Scuola Tiorentina de Pittura.^[18]“Avard Fairbanks – A Short Biography of the Sculptor,” rheafamily.org, archived 7 June 2015

After Studying in Europe, Avard earned a Masters  of Fine arts in 1929 from the University of Washington.

Avard would join the Faculty at the University of Michigan in 1929 as an associate professor of sculpture and resident sculptor in the Institute of Fine Arts. He taught at the University of Michigan for 18 years.  While teaching sculpture there he also earned a Masters of Arts from the University in 1933, and a Doctor of Philosphy in Anatomy just three years later.^[19]Jim Benjaminson, “The Story of Avard T. Fairbanks,” allpar.com

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