Bio
Eli Kerns (b. 1994) is an artist and educator based in Provo, Utah. He grew up in eastern Oregon and earned a BS in Human Biology before pursuing an MFA at BYU, where he is completing his degree. Eli’s work is rooted in a desire to understand his place in the natural world. He primarily works with paper, ink, wax, and wood, exploring ideas through material and process. Living at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains provides endless inspiration, which he also shares with his wife, an artist, and their three-year-old daughter. Outside the studio, Eli is an avid runner, hiker, amateur birder, and woodworker, passions that continue to shape his approach to both art and teaching.
My art centers around a desire to understand my place in the natural world. I grew up outdoors in the forests of eastern Oregon where I became intimately connected with the living organisms around me. The return of the redwing blackbirds each spring, and the first ripe raspberry of the year were celebrated events in my family. These junctures in cyclical time continue to fascinate me, as do the rituals we observe to distinguish them. Childlike curiosity and embodied exploration, drives my work. I work with a variety of media, including ink, paper, and wax to create layered, transparent compositions that unify multiple images into one. This process provides an omniscient view—of everything at once, while obscured details suggest the passage of time, cycles, loss, memory, and decay.
Artist Statement
CV
Education
BS - Brigham Young University-Idaho
MFA - Brigham Young University
Anticipated Graduation Date: April 2026
Teaching and Professional Experience
BYU-Idaho Adjunct Art Faculty 2022-2023
ART 270 - Printmaking
ART 312 - Figure Drawing
BYU Graduate Assistant Teaching Contract 2024-2026
ART 101- Intro to Art and Drawing
ART 122 - Printmaking For Non-Majors
Exhibitions
2026
Weight Room Gallery - Graduate Thesis Exhibition - Jan 26 - Feb 7
2025
Spori Gallery - The Secret Garden May 2 - Jun 3
Alma Gallery - BYU Showcase Apr 4 - Apr 26
Brigham Young University Student Show Apr 4 - Apr 26
Weight Room Gallery - Project 52 Jan 18 - Feb 1
2024
USU Gallery East - Place Time Proximity Nov 11 - Dec 3
Idaho Museum of Art - Project 52 May 2 – Jul 27
Springville Museum of Art Spring Salon Apr 27 – Jul 6
Brigham Young University Student Show Apr 5 – Apr 26
2023
Hallway Art, Home Pop-up Show Jul 26
2022
Brigham Young University-Idaho Faculty Show Nov 18 – Dec 14
Royal Artisan – Familiar Impressions Solo Show Jun 4 – Jul 6
Romance Theater Lobby - Solo Show Oct 7 – Nov 3
2021
Romance Theater Lobby – Nov 5
Art Grows Rexburg 2021
2020
Art Grows Rexburg 2020
2019
Art Grows Rexburg 2019
Brigham Young University-Idaho Annual Student Show
Residencies
2025 - Leif Hasles Fond - Denmark
2024 - Bornholm Hjemstavn Project - Denmark
Bibliography
Nolan Flynn, Memory and Landscape: Reflections from the Utah State University East Gallery, 15 Bytes, December 10, 2024
Awards
Jurors Award - BYU Student Exhibit 2025
3rd Place - Art Grows Rexburg 2021
Merit Award – Art Grows Rexburg 2020
1st Place – Art Grows Rexburg 2019