OWEN RILEY MAKES AND TEACHES PHOTOGRAPHY

Owen Riley Jr. is a Greenville, South Carolina based artist and teacher.    He holds a 2010 MFA in Visual Arts/Photography from Clemson University, did post graduate work in journalism at The University of Georgia’s Henry Grady School of Journalism and received his bachelors degree in Art from Berry College in Rome, Georgia.  

 Riley's work is in the permanent collections of The Greenville County Art Museum, The Greenville Fine Arts Center and in private and corporate collections across the United States. His work has been presented in multiple solo shows and in national and regional juried and invitational shows in the United States.  The Greenville County Art Museum presented a solo show of his work in 2015 and The Southeast Center for Photography presented a solo show of his work in 2016.  

Before Riley began his full time studio art practice and his teaching career at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, South Carolina, he worked as Chief Photographer for The Greenville News and Greenvilleonline.com and as the Homes Photographer for Greenville’s “Talk” Magazine.   His work in photojournalism, commercial photography, art and advertising has been published nationally and internationally and he is a former South Carolina News Photographers Association “South Carolina Photojournalist of the Year.”

Riley lives in Greenville with his wife Beth, a psychotherapist in private practice and their bulldog Lily and cat Mies. Their daughter Clara, is a rising sophomore at Tulane University in New Orleans.     Riley's passion is art, teaching and his family.  His hobbies include collecting art and midcentury antiques for his sixties modern home, travel, listening to and collecting vintage vinyl, cooking, music, making espresso and bicycling.

orileyphoto@gmail.com

 Owen Riley with students taking part in his wet plate photography workshop at the 2012 Click 646 Photo Weekend in Greenwood, South Carolina.  Photo by Professor Jon Hollaway, Lander University

SELECTED RECENT SHOWS

2016     "Owen Riley: Selected Works"  The Southeast Center for Photography, Greenville, S.C. 

2015     "Local Talent:  Owen Riley"   Solo Show

              The Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, S.C.

2014     "Owen Riley - Transformations"  Solo Show 

            The Upstairs Contemporary Art Space, Tryon,  N.C.

2013    "Recent Work - Owen Riley Jr."  Solo Show

             The Vandiver Gallery at Anderson University, Anderson,  S.C.

2013    “Artisphere Artists of the Upstate”  2013 juried show, Greenville, S.C.    Honorable MentionAward

2012    "Now and Then: Some Photographer' Work"  Invitational Show

             The Pickens County Museum of Art

2012    “Letting the Light In” Solo Show,  The Milliken Gallery, Converse College,                                                         Spartanburg, S.C.

2012    “The Innovative Camera” Invitational Group Show, The Upstairs Contemporary Art Space,

            Tryon, N.C.  

2011     “Statewide Photo Faculty Exhibit” The Greenwood Museum, Greenwood, S.C.

2011     “Selected Works: Owen Riley Jr.”  Solo slow, The Meridian Gallery and Studios, Greenwood, S.C. 

2011      “Artisphere Artists of the Upstate”  2011 juried show, Greenville, S.C. 

2011     “Wide Open 2” Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition,  Brooklyn, NY,

             National juried art show curated by the Guggenheim Museum of Arts' Associate

             Curator Nathan Trotman. 

2010   “Everything Like it Was Yesterday” Clemson University MFA show, S.C

2010   “A Portrait of Greenville”  The Greenville Museum of Art                                   

             Group Show, Greenville, S.C.

2010   “Boundaries - Recent Work”  Solo Show,The Moon Gallery, Berry College,                          Rome, GA.

2010   “The South Carolina Scholastic Invitational Photo Exhibit” Greenwood, S.C.

2010   “Artisphere Artists of the Upstate” 2010 Annual Juried Show, Greenville, S.C.

2010   “Crossing Over” Three-person show Riverworks Gallery, Greenville, S.C.

2010   “Greenville Scene” Juried Show, The Metropolitan Arts Council, Greenville

2010      “Upstate Visual Arts Annual Juried Show”  Greenville, S.C. 2010          

2010       “Pedalpop”   Invitational Show, The Warehouse Theater,  Greenville, S.C.

2009     “Imaging Desire, The Hite Art Institute Biennial”  National Juried Show at The Hite Art Institute at the               University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

2008     “Artisphere Artists of the Upstate” First Annual Juried Show, Greenville, S.C.

2008   “Clemson’s Anagama Exhibit,” Group Show, The Anderson Art Center,  Anderson, S.C.

2007    “Moments In Between” Solo Show.  The Greenville Fine Arts Center,  Greenville, S.C.

2005   “RiverRun, Art of the Reedy,” Greenville County Museum of Art, Invitational Show, Greenville, S.C.

COLLECTIONS       

The Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, S.C

The Greenville Fine Arts Center, Greenville, South Carolina

Multiple private and corporate collections across the United States

RECENT ARTIST TALKS

2013Guest Artist talk at Furman University's OLLIE Center

2013   Artist Talkfor "Recent Work - Owen Riley Jr."  Solo Show, The Vandiver Gallery at Anderson                         University, Anderson,  S.C.

2012   Artist talk on “Letting The Light In”  (January 19th.) The Milliken Gallery at Converse College,                            Spartanburg, S.C.

 2012    Workshop and demonstration on The Wet Plate Collodion Process, at Click 646, a statewide                          photography event at the Greenwood Art Museum.

2011    Workshop and demonstration on The Wet Plate Collodion Process, at Anderson University's Art                    Department.

2011    Workshop and demonstration on The Wet Plate Collodion Process, at Furman University's Art                        Department.

 2010Gallery talk at the Greenville County Museum of Art, for "Portrait of     Greenville"

2010    Greenville Circle of Friends Community Center summer school program  lecture on Photojournalism

2010    Gallery talk for "Crossing Over" at Greenville Tech Riverworks Gallery,         Greenville

2010    Gallery talk for "Boundaries" at Berry College, Rome, Georgia

2010    Art work presentation at Art Slide Jam, Clemson, S.C.

2009   Pecha Kucha presentation, The South Carolina Arts Commission Annual       Retreat at the South Carolina Governors School for the Art

RECENT HONORS

2013                “Artistphere Artists of the Upstate” Merit Award

2011-12             Juror for the South Carolina Festival of Flowers                                                                                               Photography Show, Greenwood, S.C.

 2010               Purchase Award, The Greenville County Museum of Art for work in “The Greenville Scene”                           show at the Metropolitan Arts Council, Greenville, S.C. 

2010                 Clemson University Art Department Research Grant for the study of                                                                the Wet Plate Collodion photographic process in Santa Fe, N.M.

2009-2010         Clemson University Art Department Graduate Fellowship Award

EMPLOYMENT

2012 - Current     Digital Photography and Documentary Filmmaking Teacher;  Christ Church Episcopal School, Greenville, S.C.

2011                    Adjunct Art Faculty, Lander University, Greenwood, S.C

2011                   Artist/Teacher in residence, Pickens County Title One Summer Academy, Easley, S.C.

2008-2012         Staff Photographer – The Greenville News /Talk Magazine/Greenvilleonline.co

                          Primary Lifestyle photographer for the Greenville News and Greenvilleonline.com.  HOMESphotographer for Talk Magazine.

2008-2010         Graduate Teaching Assistant, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 

                          Taught the following courses at in the Clemson Art Department:

  *Art 313, Intermediate Photography, Fall 2010.

 *Art 213, Beginning Photography, Spring 2010.

  *Directed Independent Studies, Art 413, Advanced Photography,  Spring 2010.

  *Art 213, Beginning Photography, Fall 2009.

  * Directed Independent Studies in Art 313, Intermediate Photography, Fall 2009.

  *Art 213, Beginning Photography, Spring 2009

2004-2008         Chief Photographer – The Greenville News, Greenville, S.C.

                  Supervised photo/video staff, freelancers and interns for The Greenville News and                             Greenvilleonline.com and worked with editors to determine visual news coverage.                               Generated and covered daily assignments for print and online and produced regular                           video pieces for Greenvilleonline.com

1988-2004            Staff Photographer – The Greenville News, Greenville, S.C.

                             Worked with editors to determine news coverage and generated and photographed                                      video and print assignments for news, lifestyle and sports.

1998-Current         Self employed freelance art, commercial and advertising photographer.   Photographing                                 lifestyle assignments for advertising, branding and editorial clients.

1985-1988              Staff Photographer – The Anderson Independent-Mail, Anderson, S.C.

                             Worked with editors of this regional daily newspaper and generated and photographed                                assignments in news, lifestyle and sports.

1984                     Photographer and student adviser/teacher, The Foxfire Press, Rabun Gap, Georgia.

                             Paid internship teaching photography to high school students in the nationally known                                    Foxfire Fund educational program. Photographer for The Foxfire Press, traveling the                                      Southeast United States shooting assignments for The Foxfire Book of Toys and Games                                and other Foxfire publications celebrating Appalachian Folk Life.

1983-84                 Graduate Resident Assistant, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

                              Paid residential assistantship supervising six Resident Assistants and 200 plus                                             freshmen in the Russell Hall Men’s Dormitory at UGA.  Received extensive training in                                     counseling, leadership and team/trust building used to support students and staff and                                   insure compliance with university policy.

1982-83                  Program Assistant, the National 4-H Center, Washington, D.C.

                              Taught and helped develop new programs for the 4-H Club’s “National Citizenship Focus                               Program” for outstanding 4-H teen leaders from across the United States. Received                                       extensive training in working with adolescents, team building, leadership and                                                 counseling.  Taught government, citizenship, leadership and arts awareness that                                           students were expected to take home to their own communities.

TEACHING SKILLS

Digital Color and Monochrome Photography

Digital Design

Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom

Fine Art Digital Inkjet Printing

Documentary and art video

Black and white film/darkroom photography, all aspects from pinhole photography to 35mm to large format view cameras.

The history of photography and video

19th. Century wet plate collodion photography, tintype and glass plate

Conceptual development in artistic practice

Studio and location photography

Multimedia and print photojournalism

EDUCATION

2014                            Duke University Center for Documentary Studies Summer Institute Documentary                                           Filmaking Bootcamp

2011                             Wet plate Tintype workshop with John Coffer at Camp Tintype in Dundee, N.Y.

2008 – 2010               Master of Fine Arts, Visual Arts/Photography. Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.

2010                            Wet Plate Collodion workshop with France Sully Osterman and Jill Enfield , The                                             Santa Fe Workshops, Santa Fe, N.M.

2007                            Gannett Video Convergence Training,  Week long intensive boot camp workshop in                                       video        shooting and production.  Montgomery, ALA

1983-84                        Graduate Student in Journalism/Magazine Writing, The University of Georgia Henry                                       Grady School of Journalism, Athens, GA

1976-1980                     Bachelors Degree in Art, Cum Laude, minor in Psychology, Berry College, Rome, GA

1979                             Residential program in Fine Art Black and White Photography

            The Maine Photographic Workshops, Rockport, 

PHOTOJOURNALISM AWARDS

Multiple First Place South Carolina Press Association Awards in news, sports and features including the “Best of the Best News Photo Award.”

“South Carolina Photographer of the Year” awarded by the South Carolina Press Photographers Association

Riley’s work has been published nationally and internationally both online and in books, magazines and newspapers. 

COMMERCIAL WORK

Riley’s commercial and advertising work specializing in education, medical and financial groups was created with Greenville’s Gibbons Peck Ideas at Work advertising and branding agency. The work has appeared on billboards, online and in magazines and newspapers across the southeast United States.  In addition, Riley has done pro-bono work for multiple non-profits in the upstate including the United Way Annual Campaign, The Greenville Literacy Association and Compass of Carolina.