Artist Spotlight: Barclay Gresham

Bluebirds, angels and steeples come off the canvas in Barclay Gresham’s work, thanks to her special homemade medium—beeswax.

The Mountain Brook High School graduate’s paintings are inspired by the simplicity and beauty of everyday things. She also finds herself painting school projects for her children, Brooke and Drew, students at MBJH and Brookwood Forest.

“Things that never dawned on me…I now want to paint them,” she said.

Gresham graduated with a degree in education from UAB and worked alongside her mother and grandmother at their family antique business for 10 years before painting.

Her art experience didn’t extend past formal childhood art classes, but that didn’t stop her from trying. One weekend when her husband, Lee, was out of town, Gresham bought paint supplies, cleared out her living room and gave it a whirl.

 “I jumped in and hoped for the best. I would not be where I am today without a space to be creative,” she said.

Now, four years later, Gresham has a bigger, messier space to be creative at her studio in Cahaba Heights.

To learn more about Gresham’s art, visit BarclayGreshamArt.com.

Denaburg will be showing her work at the Mountain Brook Art Association 31st Annual Art Show.

This year's show will feature local artists including Viki Denaburg, Lynn Briggs and Mary Mellen.