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Del Parson grew up in Rexburg, Idaho where his father was an art professor at Ricks College and his mother taught second grade. His father often took his nine children on painting excursion campouts. He found his father’s love of art to be contagious, as did two of his brothers, who became artists as well.
After earning his MFA from BrighamYoung University, Parson became a gallery and portrait artist. In 1978, a tragedy changed his life. His wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. He felt the Spirit of God helping him through the tough times and began to paint religious subjects to give others the sense of hope that he found and to share with them his love of life.
Often he will visualize ideas for paintings. After making a list, one idea will stand out more strongly than the others. Like any creative endeavor, painting is hard work, and a major oil painting can take at least a month to complete.
“When you feel inspired,” says Parson, “a painting takes on a life of its own. When that happens, the experience is pure joy. It is moments like these that an artist loves best.”
Parson now lives in Utah with his wife and six children. His paintings of Christ evoke a strong emotional response from viewers, and both his religious and historical paintings have received numerous regional and national awards. Parson’s work has been exhibited at the Allied Artists of America, National Academy of Design, Knickerbocker Artist, American Artists Professional League and the Amarillo Rotary Show.
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