Laura Glusha
This multi-faceted artist has a varied background both as a commercial artist and painter. She spent many years in the field of fashion and children's illustration, and for 20 years worked in the film industry producing internationally distributed movie posters.

Laura Glusha's early training as a medical artist led to a lifetime interest in biological sciences. She has spent more than 30 years at the Los Angeles Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park studying and drawing wildlife. This led her to create her profusely illustrated book, "Suck-a-toe," the story of the rehabilitation of an abused baby monkey born at the Los Angeles Zoo which was produced in collaboration with the keepers at the Los Angeles Zoo. The book is now in many public Libraries and elementary schools throughout Southern California.

In 1976 she produced a series of 12 painting of Endangered Species that were exhibited at the Los Angeles Zoo. She taught airbrush and photo retouching at UCLA from 1980-1987, and "Even You Can Draw" at Palomar College from 1992-1997.

In September 1986, Glusha's computer art, "The Whales" was featured on the cover of Computer Graphics World Magazine. Her computer art received coverage in several interior design magazines.

In 2001 she produced a group of murals of the rainforest for the pediatric waiting rooms, nurses' station and hallway for the Caremore Medical Group of Los Angeles.

Ever interested in new horizons, in 2000 she joined the Palomar Gem and Mineral Club to expand her knowledge of gemstones. Classes in wire wrapping and cutting and polishing cabochons opened her eyes to the dazzling beauty of the gemstone slabs.

At the suggestion of a friend, she decided to apply her knowledge as a painter to the gemstones- interweaving the forms within the stones with her painting of wildlife.

Her images feature mammals, birds and sea creatures on a variety of gemstones, including howlite, petrified wood, jade, agate and jasper.

View Laura Glusha card sets.