On a windswept stretch of Dolly Sods, twisted trees cling stubbornly to stone, shaped by weather and time. Jeanne Brenneman once painted those trees, drawn to their resilience. Years later, a grieving husband and father would tell her that painting helped him keep going – one deeply personal moment that speaks to something larger.

For more than fifty years, Jeanne and her husband Bruce have created work that resonates far beyond the studio. In watercolor and in wood, they have shaped both beautiful objects and the artistic culture of this community. Together, they represent artistic excellence and a partnership that has strengthened the creative life of the Valley for more than half a century.

Jeanne Brenneman: Painting with Light and Emotion

Jeanne’s journey to watercolor was not immediate, but once it began, it never let go.

“I have always loved the look of watercolor, but never had a chance to take classes as I was growing up. Then life got in the way. But in my late twenties, in the midst of raising two young daughters, I found a watercolor class at the YMCA and was hooked! After that, I took as many watercolor classes and workshops as I could find, and the rest is history.”

That sense of joyful discovery still defines her work today. Watercolor’s unique qualities continue to inspire her:

“I love many things about watercolor- its fluidity, transparency, non-toxicity, versatility, portability. I can work big or small, use lots of innovative techniques and ‘cheap tricks’, and take it anywhere. It’s great for painting outdoors or taking with me on vacation. It brings me great joy.”

Her subject matter reflects a deep reverence for the natural world and for places that carry history. She is especially drawn to expressive light:

“I am drawn to nature and enjoy painting any subjects from that world. I also like traditional things- old buildings and things with historic overtones. And I also love unusual qualities of light- colors in the sky, sunlight breaking through clouds or mist, bright sun with strong shadows. Those things make for expressive paintings.”

But beyond technique and subject, Jeanne measures success by how people connect when they see her art:

“I hope they will have an emotional response. If a painting made that connection, then I feel it was a success. It needs to be more than just a copy of the photographic reference.”

One particularly powerful moment affirmed that calling. She recalls exhibiting her painting of those wind-blown trees on Dolly Sods. A local husband and father, grieving a recent loss, later purchased the piece and told Jeanne it had given him strength to keep going.

“That was a powerful moment for me, to realize that my painting had affected him in that way.”

Bruce Brenneman: Form, Grain, and Patience

Bruce’s relationship with wood began in childhood and deepened over a lifetime.

“I was exposed to woodworking as a kid from my two uncles, who were carpenters. My first jobs as a teenager were as a helper with building projects. Also, a career in forestry kept me involved with wood. In the 1970’s, I bought my first lathe. At that time I was self-taught, since there was no one around to teach me. After I retired, a friend got me into the WV Woodturners group. Since then, I have upgraded my equipment and have turned regularly.”

Working primarily in native hardwoods such as maple, cherry, and walnut, Bruce allows the wood itself to guide the final form.

“I like to see the beauty of the wood emerge as I turn the piece. I also like to see what forms I can get out of the natural shape of the wood.”

He creates larger bowls, small lidded pieces, and pens, and recently has been inspired by history.

“A current interest is an Irish bowl recently found in Dublin, dating back 1000 years to the Viking era. It has an interesting shape and I have been making replicas of it.”

For Bruce, a piece is finished when craft and care meet.

“When I make it as thin as the particular piece of wood will accommodate, the bowl is sanded smooth, and the surface finish has been applied, I call it done. If the bowl is going to be used for food, I use food-safe finishes.”

A Creative Partnership

Though their mediums differ, their artistic lives are deeply intertwined.

“Over the years, I have helped Jeanne with framing, bookkeeping, and hauling paintings around,” Bruce says. “She has helped me with incorporating epoxy into bowl designs, usually to fill holes in the wood. Sometimes she adds painting or ink drawings to the completed turned item.”

Their collaboration extends beyond their studio into the heart of the community.

Jeanne shares, “Over 50 years ago we started an art group, Greenbrier Artists, and it has been a constant inspiration ever since. We meet every Thursday morning at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg for painting, socializing, sharing techniques, and show-and-tell. Oh, and also coffee. Bruce has been the group’s treasurer for over 25 years. It’s a great group, and you don’t have to know anything about painting to join. Enthusiasm and willingness to learn is all that is necessary.”

Bruce also credits the WV Woodturners community for expanding his work.

“The woodturners community has broadened the scope of my work. We teach each other and share new ideas.”

In recent years, he has mentored new woodturners and helped teach classes, something he describes as “very rewarding.”

A Lifelong Practice

When asked what advice they would give to aspiring artists, their answers are simple and sincere.

“Pursue what you love -that’s when it takes on real meaning.”

“The learning process can be frustrating, but stick with it until it becomes part of you.”

Those words reflect the lives they have built. For more than five decades, Bruce and Jeanne Brenneman have created, taught, encouraged, and quietly strengthened the creative fabric of the Greenbrier Valley.

Jeanne’s work can be found through her website, Jeanne Brenneman Watercolors, at their studio at Lee Street Studios in Lewisburg, and in local exhibitions. Bruce’s work is available through WV Woodturners classes at Carnegie Hall and at Plants, Etc. in Lewisburg, Lee Street Studios in Lewisburg, Alderson Artisans Gallery, and Allegheny Highlands Arts and Crafts Center in Clifton Forge.

Like those wind-shaped trees on Dolly Sods, their art is rooted here. And it continues to grow.