Minerva Teichert Biography

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Minerva Bernetta Kohlhepp Teichert was born in North Ogden on August 28, 1888. She was the second of ten children and grew up on a remote ranch in Idaho. Minerva was taught at home by her parents. Her mother gave her a set of watercolors when she was 4 years old and from that time forward Minerva considered herself an artist. She would constantly carry charcoal and a sketchpad.

At age 14, Minerva was a nursemaid for a family in San Francisco. While in San Francisco, she attended the Mark Hopkins Art School. She then returned to Idaho and graduated at age 16. She then taught school to earn money. With that money she attended the Art institute of Chicago and studied under John Vanderpool.

Minerva finished school and returned to Idaho where she lived alone. She would sleep with a revolver under her pillow. While living alone in Idaho., she was courted and accepted to the Art Student's League in New York. She left the cowboy she was courting to study in New York under Robert Henri and George Bridgeman. She painted the mural on Ellis Island in the immigration receiving station.

She was rated as a top artist and instead of going top Europe, Minerva decided to return to Idaho. She married the cowboy she had courted before leaving to New York. They raised 5 children.

Robert Henri encourage Minerva to paint the history of the Mormons. She painted in her small narrow living room. There was not enough room to spread out her canvases. She had to fold them as she painted. Minerva would also look through the opposite end of binoculars so that she could get the correct perspective of her paintings.

Minerva's best know works are the huge mural in the World Room of the Manti Temple and her Book of Mormon series (which is more that 40 paintings).