The Marion Hyde Retrospective has opened at the Tippetts & Eccles Galleries in the Chase Fine Arts Center at Utah State University. The exhibition celebrates the late Utah artist and educator Marion R. Hyde, who taught painting, drawing, printmaking, and art education at USU for 35 years, serving as department head. Curated by his son Matt Hyde (a current art teacher at Bear River High School) alongside current Art + Design Department Head Kathy Puzey, the show spans Hyde’s artistic journey from his master's thesis to his final works, including his last painting completed shortly before his death. The chronological display highlights his evolution through figurative work in the 1970s, woodcut prints of Mexican landscapes in the 1980s, a series on Park City in the 1990s, and later Utah landscapes focused on Capitol Reef.
This exhibition matters because it honors the legacy of a dedicated educator who profoundly influenced generations of students, many of whom became artists, teachers, or art appreciators. The retrospective not only showcases Hyde’s artistic range across decades and mediums—from silk screens to woodcuts to paintings—but also underscores the enduring impact of mentorship in the visual arts. By featuring Hyde’s final painting and his son’s curatorial role, the show personalizes the connection between family, university, and artistic practice, reinforcing the importance of regional art institutions in preserving and celebrating local creative heritage.