Judge art teacher receives regional commission

Friday, Sep. 04, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — Tom Bettin, Judge Memorial Catholic High School art teacher for over 30 years, recently created a crucifix and accompanying artwork for St. John’s Catholic Center at Idaho State University. 

Bettin was commissioned by St. John’s campus minster Pete Espil, who sought independent artists to create four new pieces of art for the chapel. 

Espil and St. John’s chaplain, Father Hugh Feiss, said that the chapel’s commissions for new art were made possible by several donors, and both felt that it was a chance to support and promote the arts and independent artists.

Commissioning local independent artists like Bettin continues the ancient Church tradition of artistic encouragement, said Fr. Hugh, a Benedictine monk from the Monastery of the Ascension in Jerome, Idaho.

“I wanted a crucifix unlike any other anywhere in the world, something totally unique,” Espil said. He thought of Tom Bettin, head of the JDCHS art department, with whom he worked during his time as the school’s campus minster from 2010-2012. Espil recalled “their fantastic art department” and was “convinced that Tom was the right artist for the job.”

Bettin, who had never before been commissioned to create a piece of religious art, said he was caught off guard when Espil asked him to do the project. However, after three days of contemplation, he decided that the “project was intriguing and I wanted to help them out.”

The crucifix, which is flanked by depictions of the four evangelists, took almost five months to complete. Bettin said he did extensive research pre- and post-renaissance depictions of the crucifixion and historical facts of crucifixion with the help of Father Christopher Gray, parochial vicar at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City, who acted as Bettin’s spiritual and historical advisor. 

After this preparation, Bettin first created the cross, then worked on the four evangelists, and saved the Christ figure “for last because that was going to be so important,” he said. 

He created an avant-garde crucifix because the Idaho State University chapel has very contemporary architecture, and “I wanted the piece to fit with the direction of the chapel,” Bettin said. Also, “when I was doing all of the research for the piece, I decided I did not want Christ to be a typical Renaissance white guy hanging from a cross,” he said, adding  that “the only way I can perceive Christ” is as an intense, strong individual, which influenced his depiction of Christ on the cross. 

Calling the project “a great experience,” Bettin said that creating the art “actually helped refocus me spiritually on the Catholic Church, and what the essence of it is all about. I hope that the students and people who visit the chapel enjoy it.” 

Espil praised the artwork, saying it is hung prominently inside on the main wall of the church, and “we are now blessed with a beautiful piece of art that will be preserved at St. John’s for many years into the future.” 

Pete Espil contributed to this story.