The Palmyra New York Temple is one of a series of detailed pencil drawings and paintings created by artist Chad S. Hawkins. In 1989, at the age of seventeen, Chad started this unique temple series, becoming the original LDS artist to involve hidden spiritual images in his artwork. Before drawing each temple, Chad researches its history, construction, and beautiful surroundings. He then returns to his studio to draw the temple by referring to his notes, sketches, and photographs.
The Palmyra Temple is located near the Sacred Grove, where Joseph Smith received the First Vision; the Smith log cabin, where Joseph Smith received visitations from the Angel Moroni and the Joseph Smith Sr. farmhouse. Also near is the Hill Cumorah, where Joseph Smith retrieved the golden plates that were translated into the Book of Mormon. About thirty miles away is the Peter Whitmer farm in Fayette, New York, where the Church 's organization in this dispensation was made official. This is where the First Vision occurred and I think it appropriate that we build a House of the Lord on this ground, President Hinckley said at the temple's groundbreaking ceremony. I regard this temple as perhaps the most significant, in one respect, in the entire Church, President Hinckley said. It was right here in the Sacred Grove where it all began.(Church News, 29 May 1999). To honor the significance of the First Vision, the artist has included the First Vision within this drawing. The young Joseph Smith is located in the lower left corner of the image with the vision of the Father and the Son in the upper right corner. The figures depicted in this drawing are patterned specifically after the First Vision that is portrayed beautifully in stained glass within the Palmyra Temple.
This comes in a 11x14 print.