LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
ARTS & COLLECTIBLES
EYES OF WILDERNESS
Lisa Gleim’s evocative wildlife pastels blend artistic mastery with conservation advocacy, offering collectors intimate portraits of endangered species and the ecosystems they call home.
“Shake It up” pastel 16 x 20 in: Available through the artist
There is a rare tenderness in Lisa Gleim’s work—a kind of reverence that transcends the page. Whether it’s the golden shimmer on a lion’s mane or the wary gaze of a grizzly mid-stride, her pastel paintings are not simply likenesses of wild creatures—they are intimate encounters. From the savannas of Africa to the ice shelves of Antarctica, Gleim’s travels have not only expanded her palette, they have reshaped her purpose.
A signature member of Artists for Conservation and ambassador for Explorers Against Extinction, Gleim approaches her practice with the precision of a naturalist and the empathy of a lifelong animal advocate. “My father used to say I was born into a litter of puppies,” she recalls, “and from there on, I’ve never been without a pet of some sort—so animals as my muse was a natural choice.”
Lisa on an ice sheet below the Antarctic Circle
“All Wet” pastel 12.5 x 16 in: Private Collection
“Graceful Hunter” pastel 15 x 17.5 in: Available through the artist
Her journey toward wildlife art took a decisive turn in Yellowstone. “My first visit gave me 13 grizzly and black bear sightings,” she says. “I knew at that point my love for animals was going to become the subject of my work from there on.” Since then, her career has flourished, with galleries across the U.S. representing her work and collectors drawn to her ability to capture not just the anatomy, but the anima of each subject.
What sets Gleim apart is not merely technical excellence—though her pastels are masterful—but her commitment to narrative. Each piece begins long before the studio, rooted in thousands of photographs, field notes, and firsthand observation. Her sketchbooks—filled with fleeting glances, powerful postures, and behavior studies—become blueprints for stories of resilience and vulnerability.
“I focus on portraying the expression in their eyes,” she explains. “If people can look at my work and see these animals as important to the planet as a whole, they will work to protect them.” It’s this ethos that informs everything she does—from auctioning works for conservation to creating pieces that serve as visual calls to action.
Recently returned from Antarctica, Gleim is translating the stark beauty of the region into a new body of work. “The ornithologist and two penguin researchers spoke about how the health and numbers of the penguin colonies are a strong indicator of the Antarctic ecosystem,” she says. “When one species is threatened, we all are. My goal is to bring awareness to these dire issues—even through art.”
“Cat Crawl” pastel 12 x 16 in: Available through the artist
Her pastels may appear soft, but Gleim’s message is unflinching: the wild is fragile, interconnected, and urgently in need of protection. Her upcoming projects include expeditions to the Arctic to observe polar bears in their diminishing habitat. Wherever she goes, she carries her tools and a question: what do these animals need us to see?
For collectors, Lisa Gleim offers more than beauty—she offers legacy. Her work is a testament to the vital role art can play in conservation, one gesture at a time.
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