With artist J. Kirk Richards, a visual artist of many mediums, but primarily known for his sculpture and oil painting work, specializing in Judeo-Christian themes.

I’d recommend seeing his award-winning art for yourself instagram @jkirkrichards or www.jkirkrichards.com. You can also follow @jkirkrichards on tiktok for oil painting tips and more art-related advice. J. Kirk Richards is a favorite among admirers of contemporary spiritual artwork. His love of the textural, the poetic, and the mysterious has translated into a unique take on traditional Judeo-Christian themes.

We both share in having grown up in Mormon backgrounds, and while I have since left the religion, I haven’t left faith and spirituality, so J. Kirk and I find plenty of common ground in which to discuss art, the Mormon faith and the larger framework of Christianity, and the intersection of art with religion, and the spiritual underlinings of creativity.

Richards attributes much of his love for the arts to an early emphasis on musical training in his parents’ home. Turning then from music to visual arts, Kirk studied with painters Clayton Williams, Bruce Hixson Smith, Patrick Devonas, Hagen Haltern, Gary and Jennifer Barton, James Christensen, Wulf Barsch, Joe Ostraff, and others. Two years in Rome influenced Richards’ palette, which often consists of subdued browns and rusts.

Kirk is best known for his contributions to the BYU Museum of Art exhibit Beholding Salvation: The Life of Christ in Word and Image; for his contributions to Helen Whitney's PBS Frontline Documentary entitled The Mormons: An American Experience; for the cover image of Jeffrey R. Holland’s book, Broken Things to Mend; and for his imagery on the cover of BYU Studies Magazine and in the Ensign, Liahona and Upper Room publications.

Feel free to follow @artbreakerspodcast on Instagram for fun behind-the-scenes photos of the artists at work and snippets from the show. And if you have an admired artist you'd like to hear from, visit artbreakerspodcast.com for artist submissions, show notes, and more.