Painting: Tayler Jolley with the Savior

This painting, created for the Jolley family, is one I hold especially close to my heart. Tayler Jolley passed away unexpectedly from a pulmonary embolism on August 7, 2024, leaving her family and loved ones in profound grief. I was deeply honored and humbled to be asked to paint Tayler with the Savior.

As I look at this piece, I feel a quiet assurance that Tayler is safe—held, protected, and surrounded by love in the arms of Jesus Christ. Creating it also caught me off guard teaching me a deeper understanding not only of God’s love for Tayler, but for His powerful awareness for her family as they navigate their loss. Truly, it wouldn’t exist if God didn’t want it painted for them. When I accepted this commission, I felt a surprising amount of fear. While I have experience in portraiture, this felt different—more significant than just paint on canvas. I had been trying to paint the Savior for some time, and it had always carried a weight I couldn’t ignore. And with my heart aching for the Jolleys, I really hoped it could be a comfort to them. It mattered deeply to me to approach it with reverence and care. At times, that weight made it difficult to even begin. But I knew I had been prepared sufficiently. I felt strongly that God wanted me to create this piece, and I trusted that He would help me.

And He did.

The process itself is difficult to fully describe. It took over a year to complete, with many more hours spent reflecting, studying, and seeking direction than actually painting. There were long periods of uncertainty, and I often wished the work would move faster than it did. Ultimately, I was led into deeper practices of prayer, fasting, and time in the temple. Artistic inspiration came to me, step by step. But I wasn’t just creating a painting—I was being changed through the process. Over time, I saw changes in myself. I didn’t understand why it felt so heavy. It turned out that God designed for there to be healing for me, too. And I feel as though I look at that painting now with different eyes than the ones with which I began. I realize that it's amazing all that was able to happen in such a short time.

Only after I had given my very best did God make up the difference. Not just to complete the painting, but to shape me into something more. And as I corrected many mistakes on the canvas, He helped me do the same in my life. This work exists because of God’s love for the Jolley family. I believe He used me—an imperfect and willing servant—to help communicate something true: that Tayler is in His care, and that He remains with her family always.