por Linda Michael

Glenn Osga is a self-taught artist — starting with thousands of dinosaurs drawn as a child, a few weekend art classes, and a few college art courses as an undergrad at the University of Vermont. Between undergrad and grad school in the 1970s, he was producing drawings and paintings of landscapes that sold in northern Vermont galleries.

After obtaining a doctorate in human factors psychology at the University of South Dakota, Osga began a 30-plus-year Navy-civilian, scientist career. He dabbled in art until 1983, but abandoned visual art to focus on musical art. He played keyboards and sang with his band on the San Diego hotel circuit and at weddings and parties with many late-night music gigs.

Fast forward to August 2015 when, on a visit to the Laguna Annual Pageant of the Masters, Osga was inspired by the art shown and decided, “I can do this!” He started painting again. He finished a painting in 2016 that he had barely started in 1983, trying to imagine what he intended 33 years earlier.

Today, more than 125 paintings after he resumed painting, he continues to learn and grow artistically, working primarily with acrylics.

“I enjoy the challenge of turning the visual image in my head into reality,” Osga said. “It is a total escape from the world around me, similar to when I am composing music. Sometimes I use reference photos, other times I just paint from my imagination. I find landscapes, nature and animals ‘relaxing’ while portraits or figures are challenging. I am also inspired by creative talents shown in the art and demonstrations at the Foothills Gallery.”

Osga is a member of the Borrego Art Institute, South Bayfront Artists Association, and Foothills Art Association.

Glenn Osga will host an Artist’s Reception on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2-4 p.m. at the Foothills Gallery, 4910 Memorial Drive in La Mesa. For more information, call 619-464-7167.

—Linda Michael is editor of Footnotes, the newsletter of the Foothills Art Association.