Glenna Hartmann 
1948-2008

Born in Morristown, New Jersey in 1948, Glenna Hartmann first studied Mathematics and Physics at Wells College in New York, but answering the call of her adventurous spirit she transferred to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where she was awarded a Schiedt traveling scholarship for independent studies in Europe and mural painting school in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. When she moved to Carpinteria in the seventies her mural painting skills were put to use in the High School and at City Hall. For a period of time she concentrated in painting animal portraits in pastel and gradually moved to painting the landscape on location.

In 1987 Glenna was invited to join the fledgling Oak Group. She quickly became an indispensable force helping the group fly and then soar. She joined many other groups and participated in invitational trips that took her to the Forbes' Chateau de Balleroy in Normandy, a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon and to many other places, but her passion and commitment remained with the Oak Group and their causes. Of particular importance to her was the collaboration with the Nature Conservancy’s Santa Cruz Island project. She conceived the audacious idea of having a yearly art show on the island’s main ranch to benefit the island and its creatures.

Glenna enjoyed painting the historic ranchos and remote ranch lands of Santa Barbara and Marin counties, she also collaborated closely with her good friend Ellen Easton in the realization of a series of books published by the Easton Gallery. Many of Glenna’s painting adventures culminated in important shows and sometimes in national Art magazine articles.