Marion R. Hyde

Marion Roundy Hyde was born in Tremonton, Utah August 26, 1938. When Marion was born, his father was city Marshall in Tremonton. At the age of three, his father was elected Box Elder County sheriff. They moved to the County seat of Brigham City, UT where Marion was raised.

Sheriff Hyde had a small ranch at the edge of town where he raised quarter horses, sheep, chickens, and had the occasional milk cow. Marion learned the art of grooming and showing horses and sheep and the skill to milk the occasional cow. He also had the experience of working cattle in Western Box Elder County and jockeying racehorses at county fairs.

Marion graduated from Box Elder High School where he developed a love for history and the arts. A college education or a career in history or art were never topics of conversation simply because they were outside the family purview. He believed he may not have gone to college if not for the inspired teaching of D. A. Olsen in History and J. Earl Johnston in Music. They instilled a desire to learn and understand. He excelled in sports and received an athletic scholarship to play football and attend Utah State University.

During his sophomore year a fraternity brother cajoled Marion into enrolling in an art class. At the time he wasn’t aware that there was an art department on campus. On entering the course Marion was exposed to a world never imagined. The atmosphere was exhilarating. New approaches’ for observing, analyzing, and responding to life experiences were supported and cultivated. Professor Harrison Groutage saw Marions potential and encouraged him to continue his art studies and to eventually become an art major.

Marion had the good fortune of studying with three prominent Utah artists in Harrison Groutage, his mentor, Ev Thorpe, and Gaell Lindstrom. He graduated from USU with BS (1962), and MFA (1969) degrees art.

In February of his senior year at Utah State University he received a call from his old high school principal. The art teacher had resigned, and the art program was in chaos. Hyde was offered employment to finish the school year. The offer was accepted. The undertaking was rewarding and successful. The seeds for a career in teaching and making art had irrevocably been sown.

Marion continued teaching at Box Elder High for the next seven years while completing a Master of Fine Arts Degree. As would happen, just as he finished his MFA, a teaching position opened in the USU art department.

Marion taught painting, drawing, printmaking, and art education courses for 35 years. In the 1970’s, The USU Art Department sponsored a Spring Quarter in Mexico program. During the 70’s Marion took two groups of students to Mexico (Spring 1971, Spring 1973), along with his young family. Marion was the Department Head for 12 years (1984-1996). He retired with the rank of Professor Emeritus in 2002.

His art hangs in many public and private collections in the United States. He also received numerous awards in national, regional and local art competitions. Marion was passionate about interpreting the Utah landscape in his paintings, drawings, and prints.