The Church History Museum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened a new art exhibit, “From Above: Aboriginal Australian Art from the Bird Family,” on March 12, 2026.
Three of the eight Latter-day Saint artists from Australia featured in the exhibition — siblings Gary and Maggie Bird and their aunt, Colleen Wallace — traveled to Salt Lake City for a public reception and met with members of the media on March 26.
The exhibit features two types of paintings. The first is often called “dreamings,” which focuses on Aboriginal spirit traditions. The second is artistic renderings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For Gary Bird, art is the language he uses to invite his family to “come to Christ.”
“Through the canvas,” he said, “I can tell them with my language so they will understand.”
Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference.
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“The Bird family uses traditional Aboriginal art styles and conventions to both honor their cultural heritage and express their faith in Jesus Christ,” said Church History Museum Director Riley Lorimer during the media event.
Lorimer also shared that several members of the Bird family have painted scripture stories and gospel principles that are used to help teach during Sunday worship services in their congregation in Australia.
“They use their art to help extended family members and other First Nations people to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that feels relevant and accessible to them,” said Lorimer. “Their efforts have helped to accelerate the preaching of the gospel in central Australia, a testament to the promise in the Doctrine and Covenants that every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue and in his only language.”
Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference.
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Speaking of her painting “Tree of Life,” Wallace shared, “I feel [Christ] when I paint. I feel that He is with me.”
“I think it’s important that in a global Church, we see more understanding of global visual languages,” said Laura Paulsen Howe, a curator at the museum. “It felt to me that Colleen was sharing her testimony in her own language. It was a really powerful testimony of the Savior.”
This art presents its subjects from an aerial perspective, inviting the viewer to look at the scene from above.
“From Above: Aboriginal Australian Art from the Bird Family” will be on view through August 1, 2026.
View the online version of the exhibit here.
From-AboveColleen Wallace, left, stands with Church History Museum curator Laura Paulsen Howe in front of the “Tree of Life” painting featured in the new exhibit, “From Above: Aboriginal Australian Art from the Bird Family,” on March 26, 2026, at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City.2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Download Photo
About the Church History Museum
The Church History Museum, on the west side of Salt Lake City’s Temple Square, houses important artifacts documenting the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members and leaders, as well as a collection of works by many of its illustrious artists from 1830 to the present.
The museum and museum store are open to the public Monday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Admission is free.