Brenda Osborne

What started as an act of kindness for an ill co-worker bloomed into an artistic endeavor for Brenda Osborne. After progressing through careers in computer programming and music, Brenda landed on graphic arts as her vocation. While working on a group project, she became aware that one of her co-workers was dealing with a serious illness. Brenda decided to create a personal get-well card, using paints and other media. That opened her eyes to the possibilities she could create through other forms of art. Not that this was totally new to her–her mother was an art teacher and her father a naturalist, “stamping an indelible love of art” and the flora and fauna of her home state of Florida on her. 

While taking on-line painting classes and attending live workshops in the Panama City Beach area, her practice and collection grew. After seven years using acrylics as her primary medium, Brenda switched to oils. Her works were displayed and sold in galleries, shops and fairs in Florida. 

Landscapes, animals and flora are her primary subjects. But, she also experiments with abstracts–just for fun and to “create colorful, active pieces that [she] hopes make you think, question why, or put a smile on your face.” Brenda is drawn to variations in lighting and emotions and favors lots of contrast in her paintings.

In 2020, Brenda and her husband Luke decided to leave Florida and move back to Tennessee. It would be the second time they would live in the Volunteer State. At an earlier time, they had left Florida and moved to Johnson City for her husband’s work; and then moved back to Florida. They considered a broad swath of East Tennessee for their new home and chose Maynardville, roughly 20 miles north of the Appalachian Arts Craft Center.  Brenda says she’s excited to be back in East Tennessee, where, she says, “Everybody is Happy.” 

While waiting for their new home to be ready for occupancy, Brenda and her husband lived in their travel trailer at the KOA campground in Clinton – just a few hundred yards down the road from AACC. Visiting the center one day,, Brenda says she was impressed with the high quality and variety of the locally made arts and crafts. And that led her to decide that she wanted to be part of our community. 

The Appalachian Arts and Craft Center is pleased to welcome Brenda Osborne to our cadre of juried artists. Many of her original works are on display and available for purchase in our gift shop.