A Thread That Belongs in the Tapestry: Visiting Work & Wonder with Charlie Bird
You may know Charlie Bird from his days as BYU’s viral Cosmo Cougar. Or recognize his two award-winning books capturing his experience as a gay Latter-day Saint. You might follow him on social media where the different facets of high personality all come together - his high-energy mascot antics, his genuine inclusive personality, and his love for his faith.
Recently, Charlie visited Work & Wonder: 200 Years of Latter-day Saint Art and chronicled his experience:
Charlie Bird at Work & Wonder: 200 Years of Latter-day Saint Art
“Art has a way of holding complexity—of capturing faith, culture, questions, and contradictions all in the same frame. Last week I visited the Work & Wonder: 200 Years of Latter-day Saint Art exhibit at the Church History Museum, and I felt that complexity in every piece. Over 120 pieces filled the space, each work telling a different story, each artist interpreting their experience with the Church in a unique way. Some pieces were deeply spiritual, testifying of Christ and the Restoration. Others leaned into the quirks of Latter-day Saint culture—like a playful tribute to Jello, a staple of every ward potluck.
"As I get older, worship seems to become more and more complicated. So has finding representation. I don’t always see myself reflected in the spaces and stories of my faith. But standing in that exhibit, surrounded by the work of artists who have wrestled with their own experiences, I felt something. These were my people—the peculiar believers, the ones who navigate faith in their own ways but remain tied to it all the same.
"I stood in front of pieces that made me laugh and others that made me pause, taking in the weight of testimony expressed through paint, fabric, and sculpture. One of my favorite works was painted on the Mormon trail by an early pioneer, highlighting the journey of sacrifice and faith. It reminded me that our identity as a people is shaped not just by our religious devotion but by the strength of family and history passed down through generations. Family has always been central to our faith, and I felt that connection through the art—not just to my ancestors, but to the larger family of believers I’m a part of.
"I still don’t know exactly where I fit. Maybe I never will. But in that gallery, I didn’t feel like I was on the fringes. I felt like I was truly a part of it. My heart and beliefs—layered, complex, and real—were woven into the story being told.
"A thread that belongs in the tapestry.”
Charlie with Paige Crosland Anderson’s Think of Me, Thou Ransomed One (2019). Oil on panel, 26 x 60 inches. Collection of the artist.
You can experience Work & Wonder: 200 Years of Latter-day Saint Art at the Church History Museum until March 1st. Don’t miss out on this seminal retrospective exhibition.