Delwin Oliver Parson was born in Ogden, Utah in 1948. He is a traditional realist artist who paints portrait, figurative, landscape, and genre subjects in oil and pastel. He lives in St. George, Utah.

Parson studied at Ricks College where his father taught art classes. Parson earned a BA in 1972, and an MFA in drawing and painting from Brigham Young University in 1975. In 1988 he joined the faculty at Dixie College where is currently an associate professor of art.

Parson's work has been featured in one-man shows at Dixie College, BYU, Ricks College, the Las Vegas Art Museum, and the James M. Haney Art Gallery in Amarillo, Texas. The Music Teacher (1991), Home Front (1991), and Heather (1987) were featured in the Springville Museum of Art spring salon.

Biography adapted from Artists of Utah and material supplied by the artist.

Born in Ogden, Utah in 1948, Del Parson has been drawing and painting since he was a child, his father being an artist and art professor.

Del received his formal training in art at Ricks College and Brigham Young University, where he was awarded his B.A. in 1972 and M.F.A. in 1975 in drawing and painting. He has painted professionally for 31 years and is a professor at Dixie College.

He began painting magazine illustrations for the L.D.S. Church in 1975 and has painted more than 200 paintings for the Church. His religious paintings appear on book covers and in lesson manuals, media presentation, visitor's centers, missionary discussion flip charts, and numerous other places.

Parson continues to work hard at producing art. His work has been selected for numerous private and corporate collections. These include First Security Bank of Idaho, Morrison-Knudson Corp., Albertson's Corp., in International L.D.S. Church as well as individual meetinghouses, Brigham Young University, B.Y.U.-Idaho, Dixie State College, Southern Utah University, National Center for Constitutional Studies, The Deseret News, First National Bank of Amarillo, Clay Dart and Century III Insurance Co.-Amarillo, Val Browning of Browning Arms, Morrison Civic Center--Boise, Southern Virginia University, and the Church History and Art Museum--S.L.C..

In addition, his work has been included in many regional and national exhibitions, including the Allied Artists of America at National Academy of Design, Knickerbocker Artist, American Artists Professional League, Amarillo Rotary, Charles Russell, Springville Museum.

Del has received many art awards: Salmagundi Club, George Phippin Memorial, Springville Salon Purchase, Utah State Fair Best of Show, S.U.A.C. Judge's Choice, Wind River National, Eastern Idaho State Fair Best of Show (4 yrs.) and People's Choice, Wyoming National Best of Show (2 yrs.), St. George Art Festival 1st Place, The Deseret News Purchase, Best of Show and Popular, Mormon Arts Festival Merit, Dixie College Invitational Best of Show, 1st and People's Choice, B.Y.U. Illustrators' 2nd, L.D.S. International Art Competition Acquisition, Merit and People's Choice, Graduate Painting Purchase, B.Y.U. Student Art Best of Show.

In addition to printing his own art work and selling tens of thousands of copies over the past 10 years, he also has published with Mill Pond Press.

Two of his more well-known paintings are The Lord Jesus Christ, commissioned by the L.D.S. Church in 1983 of which millions of copies have been distributed world wide and a portrait of Joseph Smith, completed in conjunction with the P.B.S. television special, The American Prophet in 1999.

To contact artist: cparson@cedarcity.net

Biography courtesy of artist

Newspaper Articles

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, September 28, 1997.

"Best Art Touches Heart of Believers." The Deseret News, March 29, 2003.

"Caption Only: Art Show Winners." The Deseret News, February 27, 2005.

"Days of '47 Art Show Opens July 16 in S.L." The Deseret News, July 4, 1999.

"'Images of Faith' is Both a Visual and Historical Treasure." The Deseret News, October 15, 1995.

"Show Highlights Utah Fine Art." The Deseret News, July 15, 2001.

"Student Art Reflects Originality, Competence." The Deseret News, February 28, 1993.

"The Annual Art City Days is Set to Begin Saturday in Springville." The Deseret News, June 3, 1999.

Books

Olpin, Robert S., William C. Seifrit, and Vern G. Swanson. Artists of Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999.

Oman, Richard G., and Robert O. Davis. Images of Faith: Art of the Latter-Day Saints. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Co., 1995.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, Donna Poulton, and Janie L. Rogers. 150 Year Survey Utah Art & Artists. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2002.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and William C. Seifrit. Utah Painting and Sculpture. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1997.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and William C. Seifrit. Utah Art. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publishing Co, 1991.