About the Artist

Vast life experience and concentrated training from some of the greatest realist artists of this era have prepared Glenda Gleave to create the intimate realism to which her name is linked.

Her passion for the arts began in music as a toddler, to which she was directed to singing and the violin. Forever drawing, as her intellectual family owned no television, she quickly learned that left-brain activities gained far more respect than the arts. Continuing with her music and becoming an accomplished violinist and violist, she directed her focus to the life sciences. Not at any time has she regretted the hours she spent in the Anatomy Lab, making drawings for her professors’ handouts. It seems now, as a top figure artist, she has come full circle.

Personable and empathetic, she delights clients with her intuitive understanding of what they desire in both their portraits and their works of art. Her life experience with people of all ages has prepared her to work energetically and effectively with both adults and even the most difficult youngsters.

Influenced heavily by the ‘Great Masters’, she borrowed her unique technique from a combination of Valesquez, Sargent, Rembrandt, Alma-Tadema, Leighton, Bouguereau, and Carrivaggio, to name a few. She took the words of Modern Master, William Whitaker literally when he stated “anything of value an artist learns, he finds out for himself”. Consequently, she has sought out and received personal training from some of the nation’s best figure and portrait artists: Daniel Greene, Morgon Weistling, Dan Gerhartz, and William Whitaker; the latter who continues to be her friend and mentor.

Glenda has dubbed her style ‘New-age Renaissance’ as she incorporates the accuracy and technique of the past ‘greats’ with the color and sometimes the brushwork of this century. Because of her versatility, she has the ability to create works of art in whatever scope the imagination takes her; whether it be classical or impressionistic. Whichever style is chosen, the result becomes an heirloom.

Even as she teaches, she continually seeks for greater excellence. She draws and paints from life regularly to continually fine tune the art process and build art beyond the image. Her greatest passion is to capture the soul within the painting.

As an award-winning artist, she works exclusively in oil on the finest archival stretched linen or linen panels, creating art that will endure time. She resides in Salt Lake City, Utah where she revels in each new day with her husband, six adult children and one new granddaughter, one cat, and one dog. She feels the Lord has been at the helm for her art career. Everything she has needed has been put in her path. Yet, she always felt she had the choice to trip over it or use it to climb UP on. She reports her view is excellent…….. Life is good.