JOY
a solo exhibition
by glenda charles
1 – 31 AUGust 2026
Opening & Talk: Sun 9 August | 2-4PM
Open Studio/Demo: Sun 23 August | 2-4PM
Closing Event: Sun 30 August | 2-4pm
Glenda Charles is a Bribie Island based artist whose practice spans more than three decades and encompasses painting, teaching, gallery management, and ongoing arts education. Working primarily in oil paint, she creates expressive and intuitive works that draw inspiration from gardens, landscapes, intimate domestic spaces, and the natural world.
Charles' contemporary paintings balance observation with abstraction, embracing spontaneity, mystery, and the physical qualities of paint itself. Her work is guided by intuition rather than predetermined outcomes, allowing each painting to evolve through layers of colour, gesture, and discovery. In recent years, her practice has increasingly explored abstraction as a way of expressing joy, openness, and emotional connection beyond literal representation.
A lifelong collector of natural treasures and keen observer of the world around her, Charles describes painting as a conversation with herself and the wider world. Her work reflects values of curiosity, groundedness, respect for nature, and a celebration of everyday beauty. Through lush surfaces, energetic brushwork, and a deeply personal visual language, she invites viewers into moments of reflection, wonder, and connection.
Glenda Charles has exhibited widely throughout Queensland and continues to maintain an active studio practice, producing works that celebrate the transformative and restorative power of creativity.