The Columbia South Carolina Temple is one of a series of detailed pencil drawings and paintings created by the artist Chad S. Hawkins. In 1989, at the age of seventeen, Chad started this unique temple series, becoming the original LDS artist to involve hidden spiritual images in his artwork.
“As with all of my temple works of art,” comments the artist, “I include, in addition to the temple, appropriate hidden spiritual images within each drawing. With the Columbia Temple, my goal was to include images that would encourage members to visit the temple as often as occasion permits and remind them of missionary work.” Among the trees and foliage is an image of the Savior with his hands inviting us to receive the blessings found in temple service. Showing the importance of baptism in temple work as well as missionary work is a scene of baptism, found in the foreground shadows.