Chris Coy

Christopher Lee Coy passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 44. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jillayne Lowe Coy, his parents, Lee and Linda Coy, siblings Brad (Meredith), Carolee (Britton), Andrew (Ann), Greg (Amelia), and Eliana, grandmother, Arta Coy, aunts and uncles, dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews (to whom he was undeniably the favorite uncle and friend), and untold others who he impacted deeply. Born on March 30, 1980, in Provo, Utah, Chris traveled the world. In addition to living in Utah, he spent years living in Germany, North Carolina, Illinois, Alaska, Ukraine, California, and Nevada, as well as meaningful time in Thailand, Iceland, Scotland, and Mexico, among the many other states and countries he visited. Chris loved people and languages, with a gift for the nuances of both and an ability to connect deeply that had no borders. In addition to his native English, he spoke Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, and enough of a dozen other languages to confuse locals (most often with his knowledge of local slang) into thinking he knew even more. Chris earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Brigham Young University in 2007 (where he met and married Jillayne Lowe) and a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Southern California's Roski School of Fine Art, graduating in 2012. His professional pursuits were wide ranging but centered on an artistic expression of his innate creativity, most often manifested through digital media and contemporary culture which included graphic design, drawing, sketching, painting, installations, film, collage, and more. He was a serial entrepreneur and creative co-founder. His most recent venture, Blankity, focuses on helping people learn languages through micro-courses centered on conversational fluency. Prior enterprises included Hashku, PushKin, Cartwheel Studio, RevUnit, ZenSales, Teamvvork, and Room Champ, as well as time working at Zappos, Cosmic Pictures, and as a freelancer. Additionally, Chris' art was showcased in esteemed institutions such as the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, the Netherlands Media Art Institute, the Torrance Art Museum and Anat Ebgi Gallery in Los Angeles, and the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art in Las Vegas. He exhibited internationally, with shows in Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Malmö. Chris also showcased work on the world wide web, including as a former member of the early internet art collective Nasty Nets, reflecting his deep engagement and love for the ever-evolving digital landscape. Chris loved the stupid things in life and constantly sought adventure and collaboration (which perhaps best captured in his small series DUMB WEEKEND ADVENTURE CLUB), and lived his life to the fullest. He loved being out in nature with others, dirt biking with the Wilderness Collective, time on the beach, and snowboarding and skateboarding while growing up in Alaska. He loved good food, good music, good conversations, and time spent with family and friends. He felt crappy drawings by humans were better than nice drawings by AI, and had recently built a tool with his team at Blankity to collect people-drawn art. Perhaps more than anything else, Chris was a deep thinker who was authentically himself, who was engaged in the world and people around him, who rediscovered and then never lost the spirit of adventure, and who was loved by all who met him. Chris will be profoundly missed and never replaced. His death has left a void for his family and friends that cannot be filled. Memorial services will be held at the LDS Chapel located at 375 N Hollywood Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89110 on Saturday, February 8th, 2025. Viewing will begin at 10:00 am with the funeral service to follow at 11:00 am. A Celebration of Life will then follow at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, monetary contributions/gifts can be made to his wife to help support her during this difficult transition. Please contact Andrew Coy (andrewcoy@gmail.com) for help with any details or logistics.