Artist: Jared Miller
Title: Samuel's Climb
Medium: Original digital painting
Size: 35" x 47"
Artist Statement:
R E F E R E N C E
“...In the eighty-sixth year the Nephites remained extremely wicked
while the Lamanites strictly observed keeping the commandments
of God, according to the law of Moses.
 
And during this year there was a Lamanite named Samuel who
came into the land of Zarahemla, and began preaching to the
people, urging them to repent for many days. And they threw him
out of the city.
 
And he was about to return to his own land, but the voice of the
Lord came to him, telling him to return again and prophesy to the
people whatever came into his heart.
 
But the people refused to let him enter the city. So he went and
got upon the city wall.”
- H E L A M A N  1 3 : 1 - 4
 
A R T I S T  C O M M E N T A R Y
While these two paintings of Samuel preview the next book, they
were actually the first paintings of this project, and have taken on
incredible significance to me.
 
When I began this project I was repeatedly told that I was making a
terrible decision. After showing a prototype of the project to one
associate, he looked at it and asked if I painted it. I said I did, and he
replied, “well at least you’ll have something to fall back on once
this fails.”
 
Perhaps it is a bit ridiculous, but I felt a little like Samuel looking up
at the wall after the people of the city refused to let him enter, not
sure how he was going to do what he needed to do, but confident
that somehow he would make it.
 
In Samuel Rejected, I tried to portray the mix of emotions that he
must have felt. The frustration and sadness as the people failed to
understand and accept his message. The unyielding determination
that urged him up the wall.