Jeanet Steckler Dreskin

Jeanet was born in New Orleans, LA, graduated with a BFA from Sofie Newcomb College, Tulane University in 1942, followed by a graduate certificate in medical art from Johns Hopkins University in 1943. After graduation, she worked as a staff artist at the American Museum of Natural History where she contributed over 250 anatomical drawings to a large format book, The Anatomy of the Gorilla, that was published in 1950. For the next 5 years, she worked at the University of Chicago School of Medicine where her illustrations supported the Department of Anatomy’s efforts in teaching medical students. Several of these illustrations are now exhibited at the Anatomy Lab of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville and at the University of Colorado, Denver School of Medicine. In addition, her medical illustrations appear in numerous medical textbooks, most recently Surgical Anatomy by Healey and Hodge. Upon moving to Greenville in 1950, Jeanet turned her focus first to her family and then to creative art. Highly prolific, many of her fine art works are owned by important museums including the Greenville County Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. She had solo exhibits at museums and galleries throughout the United States. Jeanet was the first student to earn a Master of Fine Art degree from Clemson University. She was instrumental in creating the Museum School of Art at the Greenville County Museum of Art, teaching there as well as at the South Carolina Governor’s School of the Arts and Humanities. In 2004, in recognition of her lifetime of dedication to artmaking and arts education, Jeanet was the recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts.

In addition to her passion for art, she continued to be devoted to her husband of 62 years, E. Arthur (Art) Dreskin MD who passed away in 2006, to her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and to all members of her large extended family. Jeanet is survived by her four children: Richard Dreskin (Hedy), Stephen Dreskin (June), Jan Dreskin-Haig (Donald), Rena Dreskin, 10 grandchildren: Rylen, Cybele, Diana, Andrea, Matao, Fuji, Asher, Rachel, Evan, Joel and 11 great grandchildren: Marlowe, Max, Xander, Charlie, Andrew, Ethan, Caroline, Leigha, Isla, Amelia, Ben and Jeanet’s sister, Jackie Marx.

The memorial service for Jeanet S. Dreskin will be on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at 2:00 pm at the Temple of Israel, 400 Spring Forest Road, Greenville, South Carolina, 29615. Graveside service to follow at Beth Israel Cemetery, 4814 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29611.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Community Foundation of Greenville, The Temple of Israel Endowment or The Greenville County Museum of Art.