Saturday, January 06, 2007

An Artistic Celebration of an Extraordinary Life

Spirituality, natural beauty and the pristine innocence of the exotic Native American Culture permeate the amazing artistic efforts of Montgomery County artist Glenna Hutcheson McBee. Glenna's body of work remains on exhibit in the Public Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery during the month of January, as an artistic celebration of an extraordinary woman's life. Inspired by her love for God's creations and motivated by a passion to connect with forgotten Native American people, Glenna became a prolific painter and craftsperson. She enjoyed creating art as gifts as well as for its aesthetic value. Her work was partially initiated by travels in the Western United States. Glenna was born and raised in Montgomery County and graduated from Crawfordsville High School. Her career was as varied as her artwork. She worked in several local retail establishments, was active in her church as secretary and youth leader, and ended her career as an administrative assistant at Abilities Services. Two of her last endeavors were pursuing a degree in Christian Education and joining the Praise Team at her church. While battling a cancer, that even her smiling and positive attitude couldn't stop, Glenna was inspired to continue painting and felt comfort in the process. The paintings in this exhibit are Glenna's tangible legacy to those whom she loved and prayed for. Her intangible legacy lives in the hearts and souls of those whose lives touched hers in the largest or smallest of ways before her death in March of 2006. Corinthians Chapter 13, Verses 4, 5, 6 and 7 were Glenna's most oft-quoted bible verses. She was also fond of the Navajo Prayer "Teach us Lord, to walk the soft earth as relatives of all that live". Live Well, Love Much and Laugh Often was the philosophy by which she lived her short, but oh so very productive life.

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