ALEX B. DARAIS

is an interesting and innovative designer and painter who joined the Brigham Young University faculty in 1957 (now emeritus faculty). The winner of many local prizes, Darais was awarded both first and second place for modern watercolor at the 1955 Utah State Fair. He was born in Santa Monica, California, earned a B.A. at Brigham Young University, and also an M.F.A. at Pomona Associated College (1952). He is a much-beloved retired professor at BYU, noted for certain "Zen" sensitivity. He is an excellent artist, painter of tonal figurative expressionistic figures. Christina Maria Darais-Oberbeck (q.v.) and Andrea C. Darais (q.v.) are daughters of this artist. (b. April 4)

Olpin, Robert S., William C. Seifrit, and Vern G. Swanson. ARTISTS OF UTAH. Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999: 66.