Stephen Mark Bartholomew

Title of Painting: SNOWBOUND AT RED BUTTES

Media Type: Oil on panel

Dimensions of Painting: 42"x54"

Artist Statement: 

This painting depicts my then 15 year old great, great grand mother, Charlotte Elizabeth Mellor, and her 16 year old sister Louisa returning to their camp near Red Buttes after walking more than a mile from camp in the snow to gather firewood on October 21st, 1856. In researching for this project I was impressed and moved to learn that these two teenagers faithfully pulled one of their family’s two handcarts from Missouri until their rescue near Devil’s Gate. Many times the handcart not only contained their supplies it often held one of their twin three year old sisters, Emma or Clara.

Artist Biography: 

Stephen Mark Bartholomew is a descendent of Martin handcart pioneers James and Mary Ann Payne Mellor, as well as rescue party member Thomas Murphy Alexander. Stephen considers himself a realist/impressionist, and his theme is consistently the Utah landscape. A graduate of Brigham Young University, his paintings are included in many private and public collections.