Kerr, Donald A. (1930-2017)

Donald Kerr was born February 21,1930, in Saginaw, Michigan. He served as an Army Intelligence Officer in Germany during the Korean War. He earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa, following his undergraduate years spent at Michigan State University. After teaching at Ohio State and the University of Nevada for several years, Don accepted a position at Grand Valley State University as Chairman of the Art Department, where he taught for almost 30 years. Donald Kerr also served as the chair for his department and director of Summer School for England and France. He retired in the spring of 1999 and was named Professor Emeritus of Art and Design.
One of Don’s associates at the University of Nevada was the renowned political scientist, Dr. Elmer R. Rusco (1928-2004). Professor Rusco had graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Phd in 1960. Rusco was at the University during the early development of the Bay Area Figurative Art Movement and he and Don shared an interest in the Bay Area Figurative artists. The influence of these artists, most notably, David Park, is evident in much of Kerr’s work.