Dr. Leo Twiggs was born and raised in St. Stephen, South Carolina. He navigated his way through some of the most tumultuous years in US history, including the civil rights movement, to become the first African-American student to receive a Doctorate of Arts from the University of Georgia.

He created the Fine Art Department at South Carolina State University, where he taught for 25 years. Along the way, he became an accomplished batik artist, whose works are held in public and private collections around the world.

In this conversation, Dr. Twiggs talks about his early family life growing up in The South, finding his voice as an artist, how he converts ideas into images and why he chooses to incorporate the Confederate flag in much of his art.

It’s a conversation that is guaranteed to make you think about how you create your own work.