Arriving: Leo Twiggs and His Art

Advisor to The Johnson Collection

The Johnson Collection (TJC), based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, seeks to illuminate the rich history and diverse cultures of the American South through visual art. Among the 1200 objects currently in its holdings are six paintings by Dr. Leo Twiggs, including three of the nine Requiem to Mother Emanuel batiks. As part of TJC’s commitment to sharing its art with broad audiences across the United States, TJC sponsored the Requiem exhibition’s travel to four important regional museums from 2016 through 2018. The former Director of Communications at TJC, Blackman also worked closely with Dr. Twiggs to develop Elevation from Within: The Study of Art at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, a touring exhibition paying homage to HBCU alumni and professors’ educational backgrounds and artistic achievements. Like Dr. Twiggs, The Johnson Collection is a recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts, the state’s highest honor in the field.

Art Critic & Visiting Professor of Art History & Art Theory, South Carolina State University

Dr. Martin was hired by Leo Twiggs as Curator of Exhibitions & Collections for The I. P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium when Dr. Twiggs served as both the Director of the Stanback Museum and Chair of the Art Department at South Carolina State University.

Dr. Martin is a graduate of Yale University and the City University of New York, Hunter College, with additional study in contemporary art at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University, and the Ph.D. in Philosophy specializing in the history of aesthetics from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. After working for more than 12 years as an Associate Manager of Education Services for the Department of Education Services in the Uris Center of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Martin transitioned to a position as Curator of Exhibitions and Collections, at South Carolina State University’s I. P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium, where he later served as Director from October of 2015 through June of 2022.

Trained as an art historian, art theorist, philosopher, and critic of cultural interpretation, Dr. Martin has served as an academic advisor for the PBS documentary, Shared History and as contributing critic in the fine arts for The Charleston Post and Courier, one of the South’s oldest newspapers from 1994 through 2000. Appointed as a Carolina Diversity Professors’ Doctoral Scholar in 2009 (now The Grace Jordan McFadden Doctoral Scholars’ Program) in the Department of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina, Martin’s area of specialization is the study of axiology, concentrating in the field of aesthetics.

Dr. Martin is a member of AICA, the International Association of Art Critics (l’Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art) based in Paris. His published projects include articles for the encyclopedic African American Biography, organized by Harvard University and the Oxford University Press, writing on artists of the African diaspora. In 2014, Martin was designated Professor of the Year, for the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences at South Carolina State University and received the distinguished Community Service Award from the international service organization, The Links Inc. in 2019.

Owner & President, Hamption III Gallery

Since 1970, the mission of the Hampton III Gallery has been (and continues to be) supporting professional artists who are in or from South Carolina, ranging from post-World War II to the present.

Hampton III Gallery was started by Richard Rupp, a teacher who, with summers off, started an art gallery for three artist friends: Carl Blair, Emery Bopp, and Darell Koons. Those artists invited their friends to the gallery, with Leo Twiggs, Jeanet Dreskin, and William Halsey soon joining the fold.

With changing exhibitions, artists’ talks, and special events there are plenty of educational opportunities for anyone wishing to discover the rich heritage of South Carolinian art. Over 500 paintings, sculptures and original prints are kept in inventory. Hampton III Gallery is also the recipient of the Governor’s Award for the Arts, South Carolina’s highest honor in the field.

Sandra Rupp acts as Leo Twigg’s representative, with Hampton III Gallery having carried Leo Twiggs paintings for over five decades.

Director Emerita, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University

Marilyn Laufer served as the director of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University, retiring in May, 2018. At that time, she had completed 22 years of service to Auburn University, 12 of which were with the museum.

A lifelong arts educator and advocate, Laufer received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Douglass College of Rutgers University in New Jersey. She did graduate studies at the University of New Mexico and received her doctorate in the history of art from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

She began her career as a museum educator but after a decade returned to academic studies, eventually joining the Department of Art faculty at Auburn in 1996. For 10 years Laufer divided her time between teaching and working as a guest curator and guest program coordinator for such institutions as the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia and the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, GA among many others.

Dr. Laufer was the curator and essayist for the catalogue and exhibition of the Georgia Museum of Art’s retrospective entitled Myths and Metaphors: The Art of Leo Twiggs, which traveled to multiple venues.

Director Emeritus, Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia

Dr. Eiland served as the director of the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia from 1992 to 2023. Under his leadership, the museum received over 250 awards for its publications, programming, staff, and exhibitions, establishing itself as one of the leading university art museums in the country. During this period, the museum’s collection expanded significantly, growing to more than 17,000 objects.”

A native of Sprott, Alabama, Eiland holds a doctoral degree from the University of Virginia and has authored, edited, and contributed to more than 60 publications. He has elevated the museum’s national and international reputation through his service on the board of the American Alliance of Museums, as a trustee of the Association of Art Museum Directors, a trustee of the International Council of Museums, and as chair of the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Advisory Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts. Additionally, he served as vice chair of the board of the American Association of Museums and vice chair of its Accreditation Commission.

His honors include the American Alliance of Museums Distinguished Service Award, which is rarely given; induction into Sigma Pi Kappa, an international fraternity of historic preservationists; the James Short Award for distinguished service in the museum profession from the Southeastern Museums Conference; a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries; and a Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities.

Dr. Eiland recognized the significance of Leo Twiggs’s art, and in March 2004, the Georgia Museum of Art became the first museum to host a solo exhibition of the artist’s work, titled Myths and Metaphors: The Art of Leo Twiggs. In February 2019, during its annual Black History Month Dinner and Awards Celebration, the museum presented Twiggs with the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Award, which honors living African American artists with a connection to Georgia.

Director & Curator, Hampton III Gallery

A director and curator at Hampton III Gallery, Luke Delello works with Sandra Rupp in representing Leo Twiggs and other well-known South Carolina artists. He works closely with Leo Twiggs, having a deep understanding of his works.

Dean & President, Virginia Theological Seminary

A respected authority within The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion in systematic theology, social ethics, and religious diversity, Markham is committed to nurturing critical thinking Christian leaders, both lay and ordained, who will serve as God’s witness to the world.

In 2007, Markham was appointed Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary. Before being called to VTS, he served as Dean and Professor of Theology and Ethics at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut and as visiting professor of globalization, ethics, and Islam at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom. He also served on the faculty of Liverpool Hope University and the University of Exeter.

As the Seminary approached its 200th anniversary, Dean Markham led the Board to create a Reparations Fund of $1.7 million in recognition of the work of enslaved persons on the campus. 

Under the Dean’s tenure, revised scholarship packages have led to increased enrollment increased selectivity, and growth in the diversity of the student body.

A trained Christian Ethicist and a Theologian, Markham is a prolific author and editor of numerous books. In addition to his role as Dean and President, Markham has been serving as Priest Associate at St. Paul’s Church in Alexandria since 2007.

In July, 2023, Dean Markham presented the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership Award to Leo Twiggs, in recognition of his accomplishments as an artist exploring themes of American history and contemporary society. The Dean’s Cross is the highest award that the Seminary can bestow. Other recipients include Barbara Bush, Madeline Albright, Wendel Berry, and Jon Meacham.