“If you want a glimpse at Brown’s soul, step into the studio at the back of her house. There you’ll find canvases filled with rich colors and mesmerizing faces of children whose eyes insist you meet their gaze.”

— Cindy Wolff The Commercial Appeal

Glenda Brown’s portraits have been described as remarkably life-like; so much so that the people on the canvas seem to breathe. Her masterful use of light and shadows capture the personality of her subject.  She maintains freshness and a wonderful spontaneity in her paintings, making each portrait appear to have its own “life on canvas”.

‘The world of art is a wonderful journey, there is so much to continually learn. The best part of this artistic adventure is that I have met many clients, friends, and peers that are forever embedded in my heart, mind, and soul. I love, also appreciate the wonderful process of painting and this lifetime journey in creating! I am blessed!’

Glenda Brown

The Journey

Glenda began her work in watercolor, joined several artist groups submitting her work to various art venues throughout the Mid-South. She soon won multiple awards for her work. Arts Uniq’ a publisher in Cookville, Tennessee, contracted with Glenda to distribute her lithographs nationally for several years.

Glenda studied at Memphis College of Art. She became a co-founder of the Contemporary Realist Academy – a classical art studio based on the European-academic tradition. Glenda studied and painted intensely for five years, at a pace of four nights per week.

Glenda also studied at the Universite D’Angers in AngersFrance. She worked under Nelson Shanks at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each year Glenda continues to learn different art techniques by attending workshops of prominent artists throughout the United States.

In 2017, after years of painting on canvas, Glenda discovered the remarkable experience of painting on copper. The warm rosy color and sheen of copper blends with her beautiful style of painting both portraits and landscapes. Researching the qualities of copper, Glenda discovered that copper, unlike canvas or wood, is a very durable support that cannot be affected by humidity or temperature. In fact, copper was used by master artists hundreds of years ago and many of these paintings now hang in museums, as magnificent as ever without any needed restoration. Glenda actually, sands, grinds, cleans and cuts 16-gauge copper sheets for each of her paintings. Using the methods invented by the Dutch and Flemish masters, she carefully prepares the surface to receive and hold oil paints. The results are remarkable, the colors in her paintings lay close to the smooth surface with emerging sparkles of copper. The luminosity and glow of her portraits and landscapes are enhanced by the exposed copper edges. Paintings on copper will last generations and are unique expressions of the fine art talents and creativity of Glenda Brown.

Selected Commissions & Collections

• Her portrait of Bob Dunvant hangs in the Memphis Court House in Memphis, Tennessee.
• Her portrait of Mark Twain is in the collection of Mud Island Museum in Memphis.
• Glenda’s family portraits are included in private collections throughout the United States.
• Glenda ‘s 2 portraits of precious women whom graduated The Lovelady Center program are on tour through out the United States in 2024 then they will be placed in The Lovelady Center’s gallery.
• Painting the Portrait of Mayor Strickland, revealed January 2024, has been one of the best experiences of my artistic adventure.

Honors & Awards

• In 1998, Glenda won the “Grand Prize Award” from the American Society of Portrait Artists.  This distinguished award was presented by nationally acclaimed portrait artist Michael Del Priore.
• Glenda was featured in the April/May 2004 issue of International Artist magazine.
• Glenda authored the book, “The Art of Basic Oil Painting,” which was released in 2014.