[Country News]
Glaida Craven Retiring? Not Likely BY BEN ORRELL || MEMBER SERVICE SPECIALIST
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People retire in their 60s, don’t they? If not, certainly in their early 70s, right? None of the rules apply if you are Glaida Craven of Kit Carson. I did a story about Glaida in 2008. At that time she had a business in her home called Sage Brush Gallery. She is an accomplished artist and has seemingly unending energy. She was 82 years old at that time. Shortly after the interview she had a serious heart attack and had to have open heart surgery. Such a serious personal experience would make most people slow down, but for Glaida it was just a time to rethink where she was and where she wanted to be. When she and her husband, Red, moved to town, she wanted to purchase a building on the main street through town and have a gallery there. Red didn’t share her dream so she worked out of her home until after Red passed. The idea of having a business on “main” never quite left the recesses of Glaida’s mind, and the fact that her home was absolutely full of art made the idea even more appealing. She said she had no more room and that she couldn’t stop painting, so something had to change. She said she had always wondered about people who said that God spoke to them and told them what to do, but she had one of those experiences. She was in the kitchen and she felt a touch on her shoulder and felt she was told to contact Jimmy Brown about selling his building. Even then she had her doubts and put it off for a couple of days. Finally she made the call. Jimmy questioned her about why she wanted to buy his building. It had a history of being a grocery store, a pharmacy and finally a funeral home. She shared her vision. “I think we can make this work,” Jimmy said. Glaida bought the building in 2012 and within weeks she set about to make it her own. She had it painted and other repairs made and then began to move in pictures and furniture. She needed a large showcase and felt there must be one there in town if she just asked the right people. Sure enough she found one, had it refinished and moved it in. I asked her if all this had stressed her. “Well, I am not one to stew
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 8 June 2013
Glaida Craven paints in her new gallery on the main street of Kit Carson. Drop in and see her.
and fret over things but I am still in awe of the whole thing,” she said. “I approach this like I did my painting. God gave me the talent, I didn’t ask for it. I just embrace it and love it. Now I have this wonderful building, and I have plenty of room to display my paintings and time to paint and teach. What more could I ask?” One might think from the previous paragraph that Glaida is sitting around basking in her accomplishments. No, that would not be her style. She has rented out space and now her store has gifts, aprons, cards, crafts, furniture, essential oils and much, much more. She is teaching painting classes and painting (as much as she can), and twice a year she puts on a painting workshop. When I was there she was receiving a new piece of furniture, hanging a window decoration and painting a picture for a client. I questioned if she had trouble getting motivated to paint a picture for someone who wants a specific picture that may or may not be interesting to her. “No, I enjoy a challenge. I always have,” she said. We talked a bit about her teaching. I wondered aloud how a beginner could find a starting place. Glaida has a picture of a landscape scene that encompasses the elements of sky, grass, hills, a tree and water. Normally a student starts with that. I asked
how a teacher can help beginners. She said that they often need to see her paint so they can understand the brush strokes and what a brush technique can add to a picture. She felt that in her personal life, 50 to 70 percent of her learning was watching her teacher paint. She works on colors, shades, shadows and perspective as they go. Several paintings by her students were on hand to be viewed, and they had done very well indeed. As we were wrapping up the interview she was working with a friend who was helping her hang a unique window treatment. I wandered around a bit and read a sign hanging in the front room. I thought if ever a short quote summarized a person, this one was Glaida to a T. It said, “Your Life Becomes a Canvas for Him to Paint On.” (Win* David Wilms 435050005) If you are ever passing through Kit Carson, you need to stop and visit the Sage Brush Gallery. Not only does the gallery have interesting things for sale and for viewing, but the time spent visiting with Glaida will also be fun and memorable. She is enjoying herself so much that I don’t think she even considers it work. Retirement is not even a thought for Glaida. Straight ahead at full speed is her plan.