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The Laie Hawaii Temple, located on the island of Oahu, was created with pen, black-ink wash, and watercolor, and is one of a series of detailed drawings 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.
The upper portions of the temple are adorned with 123 nearly life-size figures depicting God’s dealings with man in four great dispensations, from the time of Adam to the present. The sculptures visible in this drawing represent the latter-day restoration of the gospel with its saving principles. The natural setting for the temple is covered with ferns, trees, and other semitropical vegetation. The colorful hibiscus located in the lower right corner of the drawing is the state flower of the islands and blooms throughout the temple grounds. Located in front of the temple is the gradually ascending palm-lined water court containing four separate reflecting pools.
The first hidden image is of the Savior, Jesus Christ, located in the first reflecting pool. In the second pool is found some of the traditional flowers used in the Hawaiian lei—the plumeria and the Cattleya orchid. Finally, located in the third pool are each of the eight main islands that make up the beautiful state of Hawaii.
