LEHI, Utah — A new permanent exhibit called the "Tree of Life Garden" is now open at Thanksgiving Point, showcasing more than 130 bronze sculptures that narrate the story of the Tree of Life from the Book of Mormon. The exhibit has been nearly five years in the making.
Visitors are captivated by the artistry. "I am amazed, just absolutely amazed, as I look around and just the storytelling and everything is so beautiful," said Kimberly Pineda from Provo.
Maria Denny of West Jordan expressed similar sentiments. "I just feel the peace and like I'm in awe to see all that she did and how she portrayed everything. I feel grateful and the joy of being here," she said.
The Tree of Life Garden was a vision of Angela Johnson, a world-renowned sculptor from Highland. “When people move through this exhibit, it is meant for them to relate to it. That's the most important thing, is that they actually feel they're part of the story," Johnson explained.
The exhibit portrays the vision of the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi, depicting the human family's journey toward experiencing the love of God and the challenges faced along the way. "The terraced design is really quite beautiful because it does communicate a journey, and the different choices that we make along the way," Johnson said.
As we walked through the garden, Angela detailed each depiction, pointing out features like the iron rod embossed with 163 feet of scriptures. "The baptism of Christ" she confirmed during our tour. In response to whether the faces in the sculptures come from pictures or her imagination, she said, “From my mind."
Standing at the crucifixion statue, Angela shared her dedication to the accuracy of the sign above the cross. "I want it to be as historically accurate as possible," she noted. Reflecting on lessons learned from the project, she said, “How amazing God is, and how much He really honors faithfulness and determination."
This $25 million project is Angela's signature work, encapsulating her spiritual beliefs. “To do the sculpting work for over 130 statues. Absolutely grueling. But you know, when I leave this world, I want to leave a signature message of what was important to me, and God is the very most important thing to me and His Son, Jesus Christ, but that I have the evidence of their beauty in my life, and I want other people to feel that beauty," she explained.
As visitors explore the terraced exhibit, experiencing its stories, they eventually arrive at the Tree of Life and the statue of the risen Christ. The personal nature of the art includes Angela herself. I asked one guest, ”Do you know who that little girl is [standing near the statue of the risen Christ at the Tree of Life]?” Johnson then pointed to herself amid laughter, "Yes, it's me." The guest was surprised to discover Johnson was the sculptor.
"Our goal is not to stay and just forever partake of the fruit [which represents the love of God]. It's who we become after we partake of it. And every individual that feels the love of God wants to naturally help and bless other people," Angela expressed.
This is the second permanent installation of Angela Johnson's work in the Ashton Gardens. Her "Light of the World Garden" opened in 2015. Tickets for the Ashton Gardens can be purchased through Thanksgiving Point.
