In 1994, Mike Malm was newly married, going to school, and working in construction.
The 21-year-old was studying art with Del Parson at Dixie State College in Utah, absorbing from him the fundamentals of drawing, the foundation for what would become his life’s work.
Malm’s ability at capturing the essence of his subject quickly brought the young artist commissions to paint portraits of people’s children, their pets, and relatives. It didn’t take the Utah native long to realize that he could make more money—and derive more enjoyment—from painting portraits than working construction. Being an astute young man and passionate about art, he put down his tool belt, left the job site, and strode into his dream career as an artist.
Mike Malm
Malm could walk away from manual labor because, he says, “Juanita and I were young, and we hadn’t yet set a precedent about how much money we needed to make.” So, he painted portraits and continued to study art, while living in one of the most scenic areas of the country: the Cache Valley in Utah.
The pristine environment, with its plethora of eye-catching scenery, ripe for painting, excited his artistic sensibilities with its simplicity and grandeur.
Mike Says...
"About five years ago, Farley Anderson approached me with this concept. We discussed it some, but we couldn’t take action. Earlier this year I began to think about our conversation five years earlier and wondered if anything could become of it. A few days later I received a phone call from Farley that he was ready to move on the project and that now was the time. As he spoke, I felt he was right. I deeply believe that God is the answer to all of our problems in this nation. The same God who led Moses and the children of Israel across the Red Sea on dry ground can deliver us from our challenges if we will but put our trust in him and strive to follow His ways. I am honored to be a part of the Covenant Tabernacle project that reminds us that God is the source of our country’s greatness, and that to succeed and prosper today, we must rely upon the power of His mighty arm to lead us."
Sample Art by Mike Malm
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