|
Jim Gleason grew up in
the Pacific Northwest, attending high school in the Seattle Washington area.
Shortly after graduation he signed a professional baseball contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. His career ended after four seasons, due to a injury to his
pitching arm. He returned home to Washington and straight into the Washington
State Patrol.
Gleason served
twenty-six years with the State Patrol, including a Marine Corps leave of
absence from 1962 to 1965 for service in Southeast Asia. It was during the
Marine Corps tour of duty that he experimented with pen and ink sketching and
tried oil painting on velvet. He painted about a dozen velvet paintings and then
because of career and family demands, put the brushes away.
Gleason
transferred and moved his family to Goldendale, Washington in 1974. He
retired from the Patrol in 1986 and immediately ran for and was elected
Sheriff of Klickitat County where he served two terms. He also
graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1987. January 1995 saw him
retire from public service for the last time.
Once retired,
and looking for a winter hobby, he picked up the brushes and started
refining and developing his skills. He hasn't slowed down since. After
much success in the following years, Gleason's works of art can be
found adorning homes and businesses in every state and several
countries throughout the world.
Jim is a self
taught artist that has never had a class or formal training. His style
has been developed by trial and error, working out problems by
deductive reasoning learned through years of law enforcement. His
skillful eye in the use of light and shadow and his attention to minute
detail have garnered him much praise throughout his second career.
|
