Minerva Teichert

Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert was born August 28, 1888 to Fredrick John Kohlhepp, a rancher, and Ella Hickman in Ogden, Utah. She was raised in Idaho and was the second of ten children. Minerva was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gained a sound knowledge of the scriptural stories that were often present in her artwork from her parents. Minerva was interested in art from a very young age. Her mother gifted her a set of watercolors when she was four and she fell in love with painting. She also began to draw the world around her in a sketch book and she would continue this practice throughout her life.

When Minerva turned 14, she moved to San Francisco to work for a well-to-do family. During her stay she was able to see the paintings at the Mark Hopkins Art School which left an impression on her. She finished her primary education back in Idaho, and then attended the renowned Art Institute of Chicago where she studied under John Vanderpoel. After her education, Minerva returned to Idaho where she worked as a teacher so she could save up enough money to continue her studies. During this time, she dated a young man named Herman Teichert. When she had enough money to continue her education, at New York City’s Art Student’s League, she told that man to find someone else to marry.

Minerva worked odd jobs to get her through school in New York. She did everything from illustrating children’s books to doing rope tricks on stage. She even had some of her paintings on display in the immigrant receiving area of Ellis Island. In New York, Minerva Teichert learned from two great art instructors of the day: Robert Henri and George Bridgeman. She formed a particularly close relationship with Henri and her painting style borrowed some elements of his. She was one of the top art students at the time and could have gone to Europe to study, however, Henri told her to return to Idaho and depict Mormon history through art. 

When she returned to Idaho Minerva married Herman Teichert – a rancher. Much of her time she spent working on behalf of the ranch. She cooked and kept books, but also painted in her spare time. Her studio was the living room of their home. She would paint late into the night in order to have the peace and quiet she needed to concentrate. She painted on a variety of surfaces – really anything that she could get her hands on. She loved to paint, and it showed in both the quality of the art and the time she devoted to it. Minerva continued to paint until her death in May of 1976.

Minerva Teichert painted a plethora of subjects. She loved to paint the western wilderness – it’s broad skies and beautiful landscapes. She added variety to her landscapes by painting animals and people into her scenes. She has painted more pioneer-era subjects than any other Utah artist. Minerva is best known for her works for the LDS Church. Her works have been published in Church manuals and magazines. She has also painted a series of works about the Book of Mormon and a mural for the LDS Manti temple. Minerva Teichert’s personal style uses broad brush strokes and soft colors. However, she often used bright colors to emphasize a certain aspect of her art. This way, people’s eyes are always drawn to what she believed to be the most important part of her piece.