By Lauren H. Dowdle
Photos by Kelsea Schafer
If the journey is more important than the destination, then the process of crafting a piece of art is greater than the finished product. For artist Glendinning Paul, it’s the process that continues drawing her back to the canvas time and time again.
This love for creating something from nothing isn’t new for her. A Mountain Brook native, Glendinning grew up surrounded by crafts and ways to explore a variety of creative outlets.
“My mom was always really crafty and hand-making gifts for other people,” Glendinning says. “That was always a part of my life and instilled in me being creative. I always knew I wanted to do something creative, but it took me a while to be sure that I wanted to do art.”
Her love for the arts only grew as she entered high school, where she had an art teacher who helped give her confidence in her artistic ability. Glendinning went on to major in art and dance at Auburn University before returning back to the Mountain Brook area. After a few part-time jobs, she found a full-time position as a sign artist for Trader Joe’s when the company opened a store in Birmingham.
“I was beyond thrilled that I was getting paid to make art,” she says. “It was incredible.”
Glendinning worked there for about seven years and says it was a wonderful experience that allowed her to hone her sign-making skills. Glendinning created murals for the store, including ones that focused on Birmingham’s iconic landmarks such as Vulcan and the Rainbow Bridge. She also painted murals at a Trader Joe’s location in Atlanta, and the company still commissions her as an independent contractor to paint murals for them.
Glendinning continues to paint murals and other hand-lettering projects such as banners for birthdays and other events, as well as painting the scenery used in recitals for The Dance Factory, where she also teaches dance classes. While she enjoys creating those types of pieces, she says she prefers to have her hand in a variety of artistic styles.
“It keeps me on my toes creatively and inspired in all of the different categories I work in, so I never get burned out. It’s nice for me to have these multiple creative outlets,” Glendinning says. “If you’re good at multiple things, do it, and don’t worry that you’re doing too many things.”
Her main outlet and focus now is on abstract artwork. Glendinning says she gravitates toward an abstract style, where she can combine elements from both her experiences and the world around her.
“Abstract is what I enjoy the most. I love high contrasts like darks and bright whites or blacks, browns and neutral colors,” she says. “It’s very different from the bright banners and murals I make. I like to have a good balance of it all.”
She mostly works with acrylics on large-scale pieces to showcase her abstract artwork, though she does create smaller canvases for art shows. (See which art shows she’ll attend this year in the sidebar). Glendinning also incorporates plaster and other mediums to add texture to her pieces.
Her pieces are often inspired by nature, whether that’s natural colors or the textures she comes across. She even pulls from her dance background to tie into her artistic style.
“I like to show a lot of movement and textures,” she says. “Whether or not it’s apparent in the final piece, that’s what I’m think about during the process.”
While starting a new piece is often the hardest part of the process, it’s also Glendinning’s favorite. She begins with a fluid paint application and lets it run everywhere on the canvas to see what it does.
“Paint will be running all over the place,” she says. “I never know what it’s going to look like when it dries, and that’s my favorite part.”
She then reacts to that design as she applies the second, third and fourth layers until she’s happy with the finished product. The process of creating each piece becomes as important as the final result.
“Ninety-percent of the time, the painting I start out with looks nothing like what it does in the end,” Glendinning says. “I love the layers and how I’m the only one who knows what’s underneath.”
Her home art studio will feature four or five large canvases at any given time that she’s working on. She says she always starts more than one piece at a time, which is a process she’s stuck to through the years.
“I don’t care what it is—I have to get something on the canvas before I can get it started,” she says. “I’ve got to get something on the canvas to react to.”
One of her favorite collections she’s created to date features handmade paper. She collects the paper from her home and studio and soaks, blends and goes through the process to make paper. From the imperfections of the paper to how she weaves her style throughout, this artwork is a labor of a love with each step.
“It was really interesting to me and fulfilling to be a part of the process the whole way. I like the idea of having my hands in the process from the get-go,” Glendinning says. “Instead of a canvas that’s just there to hold your art, the paper is part of the art.”
In addition to her handmade paper pieces, abstract work and murals, Glendinning also offers custom artwork, ranging from abstract portraits to nude figures that are perfect for hanging in bathrooms. Other customers ask for variations in the color or size of existing pieces of hers of which they’ve fallen in love.
“Recently, I had someone who loved my work but wanted the colors to match her space,” Glendinning says. “Clients also commission faceless portraits of their families to give an abstract vibe that’s personal to them.”
Though her artistic career spans a variety of mediums and has been decades in the making, she hasn’t lost sight of how appreciative she is for the opportunity to do what she loves.
“It’s so humbling that people like what I do because it’s so personal. When I was younger, I felt like I wasn’t skilled or experienced enough for people to be paying me for my art or my skill,” Glendinning says. “You’re putting a piece of yourself out there. I’m still so grateful to be able to have a career in a visual art space and with dance, too.”
To learn more about Glendinning and view her artwork, visit glendinningpaulart.com.
Where to See Glendinning Paul Art
Spot Glendinning Paul and her artwork around town at these locations:
- Gateway Art Festival in Trussville | Oct. 13
- Moss Rock Festival in Hoover | Nov. 2-3
Her pieces are also available at Rome Curate, which is located at 3409 5th Avenue South in Birmingham and from her website at glendinningpaulart.com.
