Brigham Young: Architect of the West by Kraig Varner

KRAIG VARNER (American, b. 1948)
Brigham Young: Architect of the West, 2014
Bronze on granite and wood base
22 ½ × 15 × 15 in.
Edition 11 of 50

With sleeves rolled and surveying plans in hand, this bronze figure captures Brigham Young not as a distant icon but as a hands-on builder—an architect in every sense of the word. Kraig Varner presents Young in a moment of thoughtful determination, reflecting on the monumental task of settling the American West. The sculpture highlights not only Young’s role as the second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also his leadership in organizing communities, laying out infrastructure, and establishing the early civic and religious fabric of Utah.

Kraig Varner is an accomplished Utah-based sculptor whose public monuments and portraiture can be found across the United States. A graduate of Brigham Young University and the Art Students League of New York, Varner has created more than 60 public sculptures over the past four decades. His subjects range from American pioneers and civic leaders to humanitarian figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa. Varner’s work is known for its emotional depth, historical insight, and finely honed realism.