Leo Franklin Twiggs (born 1934) is an American painter and educator. He developed the Fine Art Department at

South Carolina State University South Carolina State University (SCSU or SC State) is a public, historically black, land-grant university in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is the only public, historically black land-grant research university in South Carolina, is a member o ...

, where he taught from 1973 until 1998. He has presented over fifty solo exhibitions during his career.

Biography

Leo Franklin Twiggs was born on February 13, 1934, in St. Stephen, South Carolina. Twiggs received his Bachelor of Arts degree from

Claflin University Claflin University is a private historically black university in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1869 after the American Civil War by northern missionaries for the education of freedmen and their children, it offers bachelo ...

in 1956; studied at the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

; and his Master of Arts degree from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

in 1964. At NYU he studied with

Hale Woodruff Hale Aspacio Woodruff (August 26, 1900 – September 6, 1980) was an American artist known for his murals, paintings, and prints. Early life, family and education Woodruff was born in Cairo, Illinois, on August 26, 1900. He grew up in a black fa ...

and

Jason Seley Jason L. Seley (May 20, 1919 – June 23, 1983) was an American sculptor, educator, and academic administrator. He was an early teacher at the Centre d'Art in Haiti in the 1940s, and served as the dean of the Cornell University College of Archite ...

. In 1970, Twiggs became the first African American student to receive a Doctor of Education ( Ed.D) from the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

, where he studied with Samuel Adler. As a professor of art at South Carolina State University, he developed the Art Department and I.P. Stanback Museum. Twiggs was named professor emeritus in 2000. He was the first visual artist to receive the Verner Award (Governor’s Trophy) for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina.

Artwork

Twiggs' paintings utilize a variation of the

batik Batik is a dyeing technique using wax Resist dyeing, resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyein ...

process which he began experimenting with in 1964. This process of painting allows him to create the illusion of subtle textures. His chosen subject matter has included the iconography of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, the

Confederate flag The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...

, Blues music, and rivers. Twiggs' work deals with the role of relics, images, and icons in the culture of the South Eastern United States.

References

External links

Leo Twiggs and the Icons of Memory

Leo Twiggs at the Hampton III Gallery

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Twiggs, Leo 1934 births Living people 20th-century American painters American male painters 21st-century American painters Artists from Charleston, South Carolina University of Georgia alumni South Carolina State University faculty Claflin University alumni New York University alumni People from St. Stephen, South Carolina Painters from South Carolina 20th-century American male artists 21st-century American male artists 20th-century African-American painters 21st-century African-American artists