"The First Vision of The Restoration of the Gospal of Jesus Christ" Early Spring of 1820

The 'Father and The Son",  Appear to Joseph Smith's earnest prayer in the early spring of 1820

This is part of my family from left to right;Elisabeth,John, Abraham,Pamela my wife and friend for forty years now, and myself in front of the The Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith family farm.

The Smiths moved here to Palmyra, New York, between 1816 and 1817 to farm wheat, fruit and harvest maple syrup on their 100-acre lot dense forest. Every foot was full of tree and brush which had to be cleared one acre at a time. No easy task I can tell you from my own personal experience when I bought a seven acre lot four miles outside of Nauvoo, Illinois.

This is a photo of a broad axe I took my property. Something like this may have been used to aid the smiths in clearing their land. 

The purpose of our trip was to gather imagery for reference material to begin the painting the "First Vision" of Joseph Smith. We Arrived and stayed several days in this area. I did a lot of shooting in particular at what several locations keeping in mind, time of year an time day he could have walked behind into the forest of his father's farm. Perhaps near spot of land Joseph and his father, had cleared land where he had left his axe, as not to be disturbed so as to seek in prayer to ask his great questions of, "God Himself" of which if any church he should join that he might enable him to know God's will and not his own(James 1:5) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

I think for my self at least their is always something special that happens when go to a place and experience the spot or place your self. Its like a memory of what took place still seems to  lingers their. like the morning dew it remains even if only in the ground itself it is still their. It still reminds us who,what,how and where the event took place. I Strive to paint  the truth of an event what actually took place and what it is God is teaching us from this event. I know I still come up short but I do the best I can with what I receive in the given time I have on a project.

My guide post when I paint Historical, Religious, and other events is,"The more accurate I paint the greater the spirit is felt, in the work of art."