Biography / Peter J. Kaniaris

Peter Kaniaris, Professor of Art, received his B.F.A. in Painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art and his M.F.A in Painting from the University of Houston. While at Houston he studied under George Bunker and Gael Stack. Since receiving his MFA, Professor Kaniaris has taught painting and drawing at the university level for 40 years. His paintings have been displayed in over 200 regional and national exhibitions, these include: the Butler Institute of American Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Detroit Institute of Art, the Greenville Museum of Art, and the South Carolina State Museum. His work is held in numerous private and public collections, most notably the Museum of Fine Art in Houston and the South Carolina State Museum. Professor Kaniaris was awarded a Mellon Foundation Grant, the President’s Award for Service, the Dean’s Award for Service, and a Commendation from the House of Representatives of South Carolina for his work in the visual arts. He has chaired the Department of Art, served on the Board of Directors of the Anderson Art Center, and continues to teach painting in the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University.