“If God So Clothe The Field”
{ Margaretta Unwin Clark }
Painted by Elspeth Young
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Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?...And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin...Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?...But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The story behind If God So Clothe The Field
“While Mormonism was very young in England, Margaretta Unwin, a girl of about 19 years...was one of the earliest to receive the Gospel in Nottingham....She was hardly a full fledged member of the church until the idea forced itself upon her that she should gather with the body of the church. Daily growing within her was the wish to enjoy the advantages, of the close association with the church and the prophets of the Lord in Zion....It is believed by Margaretta's descendants that the treasures in her travel trunk and hope chest—which she selflessly cast away to lighten the load of the handcart—were all the trimmings of a typical Victorian bridal trousseau, and evidence that she hoped to be prepared to look her best in the society of her beloved Zion. Nevertheless, her sacrificing of these treasures and her faithfulness in the legendary travails associated with the very mention of "the Martin Handcart Company" clothed her with those qualities of character fit for the Kingdom of God.
[She labored] eight years of almost penurious saving to accumulate money for a ship passage over the Atlantic ocean, for railroad fare to Iowa City, Iowa...[and] for the expenses of a thirteen hundred mile walk out into the almost unknown west.
In her eight years of financial struggle we are now willing to overlook her error in preparing to look nice when she should arrive in this great wilderness waste. We can afford to take into account the shock which Mother's sensitive nature received as piece by piece her hope chest and her wardrobe, probably quite ample and of course entirely suitable to the requirements of an attractive handsome girl in an English city of five hundred thousand, were left by the roadside to lighten the load.”
(From Willard Call, Life Sketch of Margaretta Unwin Clark Call, undated, 5 pp. Punctuation and spelling have been standardized.)
Symbolism in If God So Clothe The Field
The flax near the figure and in her arms represents the toil of daily labor, being the fiber filaments from which linen is spun. The wild roses (the state flower of Iowa) remind the viewer of Isaiah's promise that "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose" (Isaiah 35:1). The soaring martins in the distance echo the Savior's reminder that God is mindful of the fowls of the air. And the small, almost imperceptible white blossoms mixed among the foxtail grasses at the figure's feet are a delicate natural lace edging surrounding the glory of the field, signifying Heaven's abundant mercy.
The figure's well-worn costume is her work-day uniform that recalls her life of factory toil and symbolizes her willingness to sacrifice so that she might journey to Zion unencumbered. The trunk, based on Victorian travel trunks of her era, is draped by a few items of finery like the many articles she left behind. The netted lace is based upon patterns of Nottinghamshire laces extant from Margaretta's day, and are a reminder of her work in a lace factory.
Only two handcarts still exist from the days of the Mormon treks across the plains. The hand-hewn wooden handcart wheel painted behind the figure is based on one of these.
Copyright and terms of use
© By Elspeth Young, All Rights Reserved. You may not print, copy, or reproduce this artwork or make derivative works from it without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. For permissions, please review our FAQ page.From the Newsroom
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By Elspeth C. Young
the story in this painting
the creation of this paintingOriginal artworks produced by the Artists of Al Young Studios are part of themed collections because the Studios is organized after the pattern of the Renaissance workshops of the old masters. The Artists take the long view of their work as being a lifetime journey toward mastery of artistic expression through selected techniques, reaching as far back as the 16th century. Artists work as peers in an intensely creative community in which each artist pursues his or her own work as part of the group's philosophy... Read more »
Tags: If God So Clothe The Field, 2020, Exhibits
By Elspeth C. Young If God So Clothe The Field (Margaretta Unwin Clark) was painted by the artist in the studios at Ben Haven.
Dimensions (unframed width x height)
86 in. x 47 in.
Support
Panel
Milestones
Research commences - May 2016
Painting commences - August 2016
Painting completed - March 2016
Equipment
Creating a painting often involves creating or modifying tools or making improvements to the studio itself. This painting project necessitated the following activities in terms of tools, supplies, and operations... Read more »
Tags: If God So Clothe The Field, 2018, Project commentaries
By Al R. Young This blank-book journal sells for $32 (plus shipping) direct from Al Young Studios. Printed in full color on heavy paper, the book is bound with black plastic spiral to rest flat when open.
In Their Footsteps: A Personal Journal features 29 original artworks consisting of 18 original oil paintings from the Artists of Al Young Studios, 2 images from the Studios' Limited Editions Collection, four artworks from Ashton' private portfolio, and five pencil drawings from Al's private portfolio... Read more »
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By Al R. Young If God So Clothe The Field is the newest oil painting to be added to the line of original artworks from Al Young Studios.
Click here to see a larger image of the new painting, read the artist's commentary, and look at the selection of prints--if any are available.... Read more »
Tags: If God So Clothe The Field, 2017, Elspeth C. Young, Legacy, News, Oil paintings and prints, Pioneer Art Collection