SC Governor's School Faculty Exhibiting Artwork at Converse

Milliken Art Gallery is hosting a selection of recent artwork by the studio art faculty members of the SC Governor’s School of the Arts and Humanities. The exhibition will feature work from Joe Thompson, Ben Gilliam, Carlyn Tucker and Paul Yanko. The exhibition opened Feb. 9 and will be available to view through March 8. Gallery hours: Monday—Friday 9:00 am—5:00 pm, Sunday 2:00—5:00 pm. The gallery is closed during school holidays.

A closing reception will be held Thursday, March 8th, from 6:30-8:30 pm in the gallery. The exhibit and events are free and open to the public.

Originally from Athens, Georgia, Joe Thompson came to the Governor’s School from the University of Georgia where he served on the faculty of the Art Department. He received an M.F.A. Degree from Clemson University, and has exhibited his work at the South Carolina State Museum, the W.J. Thompson Gallery at the University of Georgia, Coker College, Anderson College, Lander University, and the Greenville County Art Museum. He recently received the Rosen Award for outdoor sculpture at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Joe teaches Sculpture, 3-D Design and Drawing at the Governor’s School.

Ben Gilliam came to the Governor’s School from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he received his M.F.A. from Tyler School of Art, Temple University. He has taught at the University of the Arts in the Foundations Department and the Pre-College Program. Mr. Gilliam was also a Metals and Jewelry Instructor at Rowan University. His work has been shown in numerous national exhibitions and seen in Metalsmith and American Style magazines. He was awarded the Individual Artist Fellowship by the South Carolina Arts Commission for his work in the Crafts area

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Carlyn Tucker received her B.F.A. from Tyler School of Art, Temple University. She received her M.F.A. from the University of Washington. Ms. Tucker has taught in a variety of contexts, including the Cornish College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Seattle, the University of Northern Iowa, and The Greenville Art Museum School. Her work has been exhibited often and is in a number of both public and private collections including the Seattle Art Museum, The National Gallery of Canada, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Paul Yanko holds a MFA in Painting from Kent State University and a BFA in Illustration/Graphic Design from the Cleveland Institute of Art. He has had extensive teaching experience ranging from foundation studies in 2D design, painting, and drawing to advanced studio course work. Since 1996, he has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Kent State University and Oberlin College. A faculty member of Governor’s School since 2004, he has participated in solo and group exhibitions on both the national and regional level. His work is in personal and public collections, including the Cleveland Clinic and the Medical University of South Carolina.

For more information, contact Kathryn Boucher, Milliken Art Gallery Director, at kathryn.boucher@converse.edu.