John B Fairbanks (December 25, 1855 – June 15, 1940)[1] was a prominent Latter-day Saint artist and the progenitor of many other Utah artists.
Fairbanks was born to John Boylston Fairbanks and Sarah Van Wagoner. Since he and his father shared the same name, he was known as J. B. to his family.
Fairbanks decided to become an artist after he watched John Hafen at work.
Fairbanks mainly painted landscapes and portraits.
Fairbanks served a mission in the Southern States Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
In 1890, he was sent as an art missionary to France along with Hafen, Lorus Pratt and others. On their return to Utah Territory they created murals in the Salt Lake Temple.
Fairbanks was married to Lillie Huish. In 1898 she died from a fall down stairs while carrying Avard Fairbanks. Avard's survived to become a sculptor In 1900, John Fairbanks left his seven children in the care of his oldest son J. Leo Fairbanks and went with Benjamin Cluff's archaeology expedition to Latin America. He was to sketch and photograph his travels. After the group disbanded Fairbanks remained in Latin America taking in the landscapes.
After his return to Utah in 1902 he married Florence Gifford and they had five children.
Fairbanks died at age 85.