Bly Pope is a professional studio artist with a continuing interest in hyperrealism and traditional fine arts. Born in California and raised in the Twin Cities Metro, he graduated from Stanford University and received his Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Minnesota, where he has been an Adjunct Professor for over fifteen years, teaching classes in Drawing, Graphic Novel Illustration, and Artistic Interpretation from Vintage Cinema. He has also taught at Minneapolis College of Art and Design for eleven years, in Foundation: 2D, and The Interactive Visual Novel. His work has been shown and awarded in numerous exhibitions, and has been purchased by The Cafesjian Museum of Fine Art in Armenia and Minneapolis Institute of Art. His drawing, “Maryanna,” was selected to be a part of the National Portrait Competition Exhibition at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery throughout 2013-2014 and was purchased by Minneapolis Institute of Art for their permanent collection in 2017. His drawing of the Minnesota poet, Robert Bly, was acquired by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in 2025. His work has been collected by many private collectors, including: David Lévy & Associates (Brussels), James Faber (London), Elena Sparling, Rachel McGarry, Jennifer Phelps, Zeno Wicks, Teo Nguyen, Robert and Ruth Bly, Meg and Wayne Gisslen, Jaime and Kyle Gearhart, Nancy and Jim Fawcett, and others. Bly and his twin brother, Rowan, were raised by parents who are writers and have been creating art together since they were children. Bly’s career highlights include the purchase of a drawing of his mother, Freya Manfred, by the Cafesjian Museum of Fine Art; winning the People's Choice Award at the Minnesota State Fair three years in a row ('06-'08); the purchase of his photorealistic drawing of his grandmother, Maryanna, by the Minneapolis Institute of Art; being a finalist in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Outwin Boochever National Portrait Competition; exhibitions of his and Rowan's work at Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Burnet Gallery, and the Arboretum; and the acquisition of his drawing of Robert Bly by the National Portrait Gallery. Marrying his wife, Kat Schmidt, in 2023 is the highlight of Bly’s non-art life. Bly & Rowan Pope, Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2018