Herman Du Toit, PhD
Founding Executive Director
Born in South Africa, Herman du Toit has enjoyed an extensive career in the visual arts ever since his sixth grade teacher awarded him a book prize for his earliest charcoal drawings. He would later serve as Head (dean) of the School of Fine Arts at the former Durban Institute of Technology.
Herman immigrated with his family to the United States to complete a doctorate in art museum interpretive practices at Brigham Young University, and was appointed Head of Audience Education and Development of BYU’s Museum of Art (MOA) shortly after it opened its doors to the public in 1993. During his 18 year tenure at the MOA he curated exhibitions by some of the country’s most celebrated sculptors—Albert Paley, Brower Hatcher, Richard Hunt, Judy Pfaff—and served as lead educator for the museum’s most acclaimed religious exhibitions. He convened numerous symposia and lecture series, including the MOA’s biennial Art, Belief, Meaning symposium that drew presentations by some of Utah’s most talented artists, art writers, and commentators over the years. He retired in 2011 to continue his writing and to establish his own state-of-the-art photogravure studio.
He holds postgraduate degrees in art history, sculpture, and sociology of education from the former University of Natal in South Africa. At BYU he completed a doctorate in educational leadership and was awarded a J. Paul Getty fellowship for his PhD study of interpretive practices at some of America’s leading art museums. He has published and edited several books and numerous articles on visual art and the Restored Gospel, including Art and Spirituality: The Visual Culture of Christian Faith (BYU Studies, 2008), and most recently Masters of Light: Coming Unto Christ Through Inspired Devotional Art (Cedar Fort Publishing and Media, 2016).
He and his wife Sandy live in Provo, Utah. They are the parents of four children and currently have 16 grandchildren.
Founding Executive Director
Born in South Africa, Herman du Toit has enjoyed an extensive career in the visual arts ever since his sixth grade teacher awarded him a book prize for his earliest charcoal drawings. He would later serve as Head (dean) of the School of Fine Arts at the former Durban Institute of Technology.
Herman immigrated with his family to the United States to complete a doctorate in art museum interpretive practices at Brigham Young University, and was appointed Head of Audience Education and Development of BYU’s Museum of Art (MOA) shortly after it opened its doors to the public in 1993. During his 18 year tenure at the MOA he curated exhibitions by some of the country’s most celebrated sculptors—Albert Paley, Brower Hatcher, Richard Hunt, Judy Pfaff—and served as lead educator for the museum’s most acclaimed religious exhibitions. He convened numerous symposia and lecture series, including the MOA’s biennial Art, Belief, Meaning symposium that drew presentations by some of Utah’s most talented artists, art writers, and commentators over the years. He retired in 2011 to continue his writing and to establish his own state-of-the-art photogravure studio.
He holds postgraduate degrees in art history, sculpture, and sociology of education from the former University of Natal in South Africa. At BYU he completed a doctorate in educational leadership and was awarded a J. Paul Getty fellowship for his PhD study of interpretive practices at some of America’s leading art museums. He has published and edited several books and numerous articles on visual art and the Restored Gospel, including Art and Spirituality: The Visual Culture of Christian Faith (BYU Studies, 2008), and most recently Masters of Light: Coming Unto Christ Through Inspired Devotional Art (Cedar Fort Publishing and Media, 2016).
He and his wife Sandy live in Provo, Utah. They are the parents of four children and currently have 16 grandchildren.
