The Desire to Create is Inside Each Human Soul – Part 3

Having a conviction can help you accomplish your goal. As we continue learning from Tom Holdman in this mini-documentary series, we get to hear about his conviction. In his own words. This is part 3 of 7. 

Windows made for Winter Quarters Temple in Nebraska, showing the scenes of the early pioneer saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Having a Strong Conviction

It is nice to get the praise from others about all this glass art I have done. “Look how nice this piece is.”

Who has actually helped me, is God and I need to give Him credit that I am a tool for Him to use. He can choose other people to be that tool too, I’m not the only one.

I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity with the Palmyra temple and Winter Quarters to be that tool and work on these historic temples and to create artwork that tells the story of the early Saints and all that they have gone through. And all the people that have had a chance to go to these temples, especially Winter Quarters, there’s this wall that has like 12 scenes of what happened out there. How did the early Saints make it through and live and survive and come this far? What I have learned is that if you have a strong enough conviction; you can handle any afflictions.

How can I apply that to my life? I feel like my conviction is to inspire people through art. Am I going to let this speech impediment slow me down? Am I going to let that affliction stop me from reaching my conviction? I can’t, I can’t, even though there are times I wish I could.

Getting Started

What I did is I used to work at a studio near my house. I worked there at a house. But then this opportunity came up of being able to have a place where we could explain art, we could inspire others with art. A place to actually teach classes and also work on monumental pieces of art. Students could see with their own eyes other artists that are earning a living at it. That’s when Holdman Studios at Thanksgiving Point was born.

There’s this whole image of being a starving artist. If you are an artist, you are going to be hungry and hurting for money. That doesn’t have to be so. There are so many good artists that want to be an artist but who end up doing other jobs because they feel that there isn’t any way they can support a family with that. So this helps to show them that no, that is not the case. If you have enough passion in your heart, why not follow your dream? That is why I had established this art institute.

Concept drawing for the Rome Italy Temple

This is where we do stained glass, cut glass and we look at all the architectural renderings and come up with ideas and concepts. We look at plans and try to design concepts for the art glass windows.

Concept Art

Concept Drawings for the San Antonio, Twin Falls and Gilbert AZ Temples.

All artwork needs to be approved and so we take a drawing concept and make a sample window. We created a sample  for the Rome Temple concept. These are other ones which have been approved for different temples, like the San Antonia Temple, Twin Falls Temple, and the Gilbert Arizona Temple.

This documentary will continue in Part 4