Photo by Wanda Jackson. Artist Jenne Glover is pictured with one of her works titled "Blossom," on exhibit at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission's Art Gallery in Laurel.

Published on: Wednesday, March 09, 2011

By Wanda Jackson

Jenne Glover is a woman of many hats, and exemplifies through her job and her life the belief that within everyone is a creative genius waiting for half a chance to get out — no matter what field you work or play in.

Monday through Friday, she works in the human resources department of a county park and planning agency.

Glover says her greatest challenge is time management. Once she leaves the office, she puts on a second hat — that of an artist. However, she says the challenge then is to remove “her artist hat” so she can at least “sleep six hours.”

For more than 30 years, she has exhibited her art in solo, group and juried shows.

One of her works, “Super O,” is featured in a January-released commemorative art book honoring Oprah Winfrey — “A Time. A Season. A Visual Tribute to Oprah Winfrey.”

Last year, another work, “Diva of the Sea,” which the artist describes as a “classy and sassy mermaid” collage was featured on the cover of the Journal of the National Medical Association. Glover produced this work as a 16-by-12-inch limited edition of 50 giclees on canvas, priced at $400 each. Giclee is the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing.

During March, Glover is exhibiting nearly 20 works in the Art Gallery at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission in Laurel. WSSC, the seventh largest water and wastewater utility in the United States, is unique among major corporations. Its community outreach provides an opportunity for Prince George’s, Montgomery and Howard counties’ artists to showcase their works.

Glover has a unique figurative and expressionistic style. She explores two mediums — oil painting and collage.

Her collages are created with paper and occasionally she incorporates fabric or other found items. She is known for her brilliant colors, texture and strong compositions. She has a vast repertoire of themes — children, athletes, lovers, musicians and women. Her work reflects a tranquil, happy mood. Her works range from $40 for a poster to $600 for an original.

“Creating art is a source of peace for me, restoring my spirit and energy,” Glover said. “Being open to the moment and painting outside the lines is challenging, and the one thing I truly have control over. In many ways, my art is connected to the child within me — fluid, colorful and composed from the heart. Sometimes I get it right the first time, and when I don’t, I rework it until it feels right.”

Glover’s love of art started in her childhood.

“On Saturdays, I studied dance with master tap and jazz dancer-choreographer Clara Harrington, and on Sundays my dad would take me to visit the major galleries and museums in D.C.,” she said.

It wasn’t until years later when she married Sam Glover, a technically trained fine artist and craftsman from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, that she would become serious about her art.

“I watched him work his magic with oil paints on canvas, and through his guidance and support I transformed into a painter,” Glover said. She credits her husband, who died in 2005, for her technical knowledge.

In 1985, she earned a bachelor’s degree in theater arts from the University of the District of Columbia. She subsequently earned a master’s degree in management from the University of Maryland University College.

In 2008, Glover launched an electronic newsletter — “Voicing Art,” which she writes and publishes four times a year, and her works are in permanent collections at the University of Maryland University College, Morgan State,  Colorado College’s Coburn Gallery and Tri-Continental industries.

For more information about her work, contact the artist at 202-253-8098 or visit jenneglover.com.