Internationally renowned for historical monuments and classic works of art, Avard Tennyson Fairbanks was one of America's finest sculptors of the 20th century. He spent more than 80 years in a constant quest to study, experience and master the arts. From a motherless youth in Utah to studying in Paris, France, he rose from obscurity to receive international acclaim and recognition. In return, he devoted many years to teaching and contributing to students, family and community. His passion was preserving historical events, capturing tender life experiences, and portraying the innate nobility of man.
Bachelor of Art from Yale University; Ph.D. in anatomy from University of Michigan; University of Washington
Many of the sculptures on Temple Square in Salt Lake City are by Fairbanks, including the Three Witnesses Monument.For a time in the 1920s Fairbanks was a member of the faculty of the University of Oregon. It was while here that he made his Oregon Trail sculpture. Fairbanks later became a professor at the University of Utah. He created a sculpture of the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood for the Mormon Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair.Although most of his later work was free-standing sculptures, Fairbanks did return to the frieze when he made some for the Harold B. Lee Library on Brigham Young University campus.
University of Michigan; University of Washington; Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts; Yale University