A young girl sat by herself at a table in her parents’ restaurant where she spent a great deal of her free time while growing up. A paintbrush held in her hand, she worked intently on a paint-by-number oil painting. Her inner artist was mesmerized through this engagement with paint, texture and color. She ignored many of the premixed colors as she mixed her own colors, and she painted over some of the preprinted lines as she created her own shapes of paint. As you’ve already guessed, this young girl was me, and this was how I began as an artist. Within a few years, my parents encouraged me by letting me enroll in Saturday morning painting and drawing lessons. In school, I took every art class allowed. I went on to major in drawing and painting at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, and I have taken further studies in watercolor painting. I treasure each moment I get to spend doing artwork! – Glenda
Glenda Dietrich Moore paints at her art studio, Creation Energy, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Glenda teaches art classes and leads watercolor workshops for older youth and adults. She leads Explorations in Creativity workshops and other retreats that combine self-nurturing, creativity, and self-expression.
Encompassing a wide range of style and subject matter, Glenda’s artwork focuses on the use of vibrant watercolor painting. Her works have been featured in books she has illustrated and in Alive Now!, Imagine, and The Upper Room magazines.
An ordained minister and certified spiritual director, she has led spiritual life retreats for various groups such as The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), United Church of Christ, Church of the Brethren, The United Methodist Church, and Upper Room Ministries.