Tripp was born in Raleigh, NC and grew up in Holly Springs, NC.

He earned is BFA from East Carolina University in 1998 and there

went on to live in Eastern Europe in the country of Estonia, where he

attended the Estonian Academy of Art. There, he was an active artist

participating in many international exhibitions and symposia.

Upon returning to the States he earned his MFA from ECU and then went

on to teach at Craven Community College in New Bern, NC. He

resides in Holly Springs. He is father to Lyza and Andreas Jarvis.