Kerry Soper was raised in Farmington Utah and spent his high school years in Atlanta, Georgia, and Provo, Utah. After graduating from high school, he moved with his family moved to Spring City, Utah–a sleepy town in central part of the state that has preserved the atmosphere of a traditional Mormon village. It was here that he discovered his favorite sites and subjects for painting: the fields, trees and mountains of the arid but cultivated Utah landscape.
After attending Snow College for a year, Kerry served a mission for the L.D.S. church in France. Upon his return, he attended Utah State University and married Lisa Taylor. For graduate studies, he attended to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Along the way, they had four children: Haley (15), Devin (12), Taylor (9), and Emmy (6). They now live in Utah.
Schooling and Professional Experience
Kerry studied art with Osral Allred and Carl Purcell for a year at Snow College; he then pursued a B.F.A in commercial art at Utah State University. He credits Adrian Van Sutchlen and Glenn Edwards for trying to teach him how to see sensitively and draw with care. He owes a debt to Chris Terry for introducing him to oil painting and essential design principles.
In graduate school Kerry studied the history of popular visual arts in 19th and early 20th century America. During his time at Emory, Kerry worked as an illustrator, doing political cartoons and illustrations for humor magazines. After graduate school Kerry and his family moved back to Spring City, Utah while he finished his dissertation and looked for a full time teaching job. In Spring City, he began oil painting again and benefitted from the mentorship of another local artist, Michael Workman.
Kerry is now an associate professor in the Humanities and American Studies programs at Brigham Young University. Although he lives and works in Utah Valley, he goes to Spring City to paint, traveling down Highway 89 once or twice a week for working sessions. His studio is located on the top floor of the old Scofield Mercantile building–the one with the Squirt soda logo on its side. (This studio space is generously provided to him by fellow artist, Shirley McKay.)
