She begins the day with a vigorous game of tennis, followed by coffee with friends at the local Starbucks hangout, then upstairs to work in her studio at Golden Gateway Center. That’s how this self-named People Person squeezes in everything that’s important— exercise, being around people and the solitude of her art.

This balancing act between the isolation of an artist’s life and the desire for the company of people has taken different forms. She tells of one romantic interlude in her past when she worked for World Airways as a flight attendant. Brenda imagined that this “would be the perfect life…traveling the world…meeting people. Then home for a number of days to immerse myself in my art.”

It didn’t work out that way. That perfect fun-life continued only a short while before being lured back to San Francisco with the promise of a partnership in a design firm.

Designing the BCNA Logo
As she does with everything else in life, Brenda tackled the Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association’s Logo Contest with thoroughness. Because of her experience running graphic design departments for several ad agencies, Brenda brought to the logo contest challenge the same skill-set she uses in her client work. She did her homework by searching the Internet for sailing ships, buying and reading books about the ships and the Barbary Coast era.

One particularly helpful book was Walking San Francisco on the Barbary Coast Trail by Daniel Bacon. Brenda opines on the rationale for her logo design, “Because the Barbary Coast grew from the great infusion of treasure-seeking sailors from around the world during the Gold Rush, I felt a contemporary design of an old clipper ship would best epitomize that colorful history. Also, I wanted to portray the ship in a less traditional way—straight on, as if entering the golden Gate.”

Courage
In addition to portrait and design commissions, Brenda finds time to produce her own work. She’s currently creating a series of large abstract oils of extinct species.

These courtroom illustrations for television were interesting because the cases were extremely high profile. I was able to listen to the proceedings while doing the illustrations, which made the job even more interesting. This particular case was the murder of Polly Klaas by Richard Allen Davis.

For the past 16 years, Brenda has worked as a freelance designer for graphic design studios and companies needing her skills. In between these assignments, she’s also worked illustrating courtroom drama for TV—major trials when cameras aren’t permitted. While this television work was interesting, she enjoys painting children even more.

Being self-employed, Brenda can direct time where it’s needed—on the tennis court or at the drawing board. “It’s a full life if you throw in the friends, travel and tennis.” Sustaining yourself by your abilities takes courage and determination. Brenda has both.

Brenda has painted portraits for several Barbary Coasters:

• Arlene Inch, Golden Gateway Commons Bldg III


• Phil Pollock, Golden Gateway Center


• Jane Kroesche, Attorney, Skadden & Skadden


• Michael Hernandez, Golden Gateway Center


• Tobin Law

With degrees in both fine art and graphic design Brenda designs logos, brochures, wine bottles, corporate identity. But her passion is for painting— fine art.

I try to capture the gentle spirit of children…the joy is presenting the final painting to the family so they can pass it down from generation to generation.