Biographical Chronology

1939

August 28, 1939 Glenna Maxey born to Homer Glen Maxey and Melba Tatom Maxey in Lubbock, Texas, their second child. Glenna’s father and Grandfather J.B. Maxey were pioneer developers in West Texas. Maxey Park in Lubbock is named after them.

1945

Enrolls in Roscoe Wilson Elementary School.

1956

Travels with her family on the QEII to Europe and studies works by the great masters of painting and sculpture.

1957

Graduates from Monterey High School.

1961

Graduates from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Marries William Goodacre, a fellow Colorado College graduate.

1962

Earns teaching certificate from the State of Colorado for teaching art

and zoology.

Moves from Colorado Springs, CO to Lubbock, TX.

Son Ronald Tim Goodacre born.

1964

Daughter Jill Goodacre born.

"I always say that Tim and Jill are my best work."--Glenna Goodacre

1967

Studies at The Art Students League in New York, NY.

1969

Creates first bronze sculpture, a 7” high ballerina modeled after her daughter Jill.

1973

Travels and studies in Europe.

1974

Moves with her family to Boulder, CO.

1977

Admitted to the National Sculpture Society, New York, NY.

1981

Made a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society, New York, NY.

Admitted to the National Academy of Western Art, Oklahoma City, OK.

Travels to China to exhibit her work in Beijing.

1982

Sculpts first life-size figure, “Girl With Ribbons.”

1983

Divorces William Goodacre and moves from Boulder, CO, to Santa Fe, NM.

1987-88

Travels to Paros, Greece, and Pietrasanta and Cararra, Italy to explore possibilities of creating marble sculptures.

Additional or repeated travel to Guatemala, Sweden, Russia, Belgium, Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Italy, Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Poland, Norway, Croatia, Czech Republic.

1988

First one-person exhibition of sculpture, Read-Stremmel Gallery,

San Antonio, TX.

1989

Two-person exhibition with long-time friend, New Mexico painter Wilson Hurley at Nedra Matteucci Galleries in Santa Fe. The show included over a dozen life-size works including her iconic “Puddle Jumpers”.

1990

Selected as a runner-up and then winner of the sculpture competition for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Washington, DC.

1993

Vietnam Women’s Memorial unveiled on the National Mall. Glenna is a dedication speaker along with Al Gore and General Colin Powell.

1994

Named an Academician at the National Academy of Design, New York, NY.

1995

Marries Dallas, TX, attorney C.L. Mike Schmidt in Santa Fe.

Large, comprehensive 25-year retrospective exhibition, Texas Tech University Museum, Lubbock, TX, “The First 25 Years.”

New Small Works at Nedra Matteucci Galleries, her first one-person exhibition of sculpture in Santa Fe.

1997

Chosen the winning sculptor in an international competition for The Irish Memorial, Philadelphia, PA.

1998

Chosen by the U.S. Mint to design a new millennium U.S. dollar called the Sacagawea Golden Dollar.

Creates a 1 ½ life-size bronze of President Ronald W. Reagan for the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, and for the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

1999

Sacagawea Dollar Coin design unveiled by First Lady Hillary Clinton at the White House.

2000

First Sacagawea dollars go into circulation, continuing to be minted by the U.S. Mint.

Cornerstones Foundation reception at Glenna’s Canyon Road studio for First Lady Hillary Clinton.

One-person exhibition at Galleria Silecchia, Sarasota, FL.

2003

The Irish Memorial installed at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, PA.

2004

Glenna’s last portrait commission of Colonel Earl “Red” Blaik, legendary West Point Coach, installed at the National College Football Hall Of Fame in South Bend, IN.

2006

Appointed by Governor Bill Richardson to the New Mexico Coin Commission to assist in designing the state quarter.

2007

March 13, suffers massive subdural hematoma, is in a coma for 2 weeks, then in rehab for 5 months.

2008

Documentary film about Goodacre “Clay Masher” aired by NMPBS, Albuquerque, NM.

2009

Glenna’s only life-size marble figure “Bather” is gifted by enthusiastic Goodacre collectors to the Fred Jones Museum at Oklahoma University in Norman.

Glenna continues to work in her Santa Fe studio and exhibit work.

“Master Sculptor: Work From The Artist’s Collection” exhibition at Nedra Matteucci Galleries, Santa Fe, NM.

2010

Goodacre’s coin studies are donated to the Smithsonian American History Museum Numismatic Collection in honor of the 10 th anniversary of the Sacagawea Dollar.

2015

Glenna’s coin study, a sculpture tool, and 2 Sacagawea coins are included in a Smithsonian exhibition “The Value of Money”

Goodacre’s work along with Laura Garden Fraser’s studies are exhibited together in “Conflict In Bronze” at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

2016

Glenna announces her retirement and destruction of her bronze casting molds

2017

April 6, Scottsdale Art Auction, “The Glenna Goodacre Collection”. Over 100 lots from the artist’s personal collection are sold, including a life-size “Puddle Jumpers” that sold for a hammer price of $350,000, setting a record value up to that point for one of her sculptures.

2020

After a long illness, on April, 13, 2020, Glenna dies of natural causes at her home in Santa Fe, the city where she had lived and worked since 1983.

2022

Estate auction for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an avid Goodacre collector. The April auction by The Potomack Company featured 1/2 dozen Goodacre sculptures that sold for well-above market value.

2023

The Sacagawea U.S. Dollar continues to be minted annually, this year with Native American ballerina Maria Tallchief on the reverse.

The 30th anniversary of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the National Mall with events and tributes recognizing Goodacre’s sculptural achievement.

Awards & Honors

1973

The Texas Fine Arts Association National Juried Show Award for Sculpture.

1974

The Allied Artists of America Prize for Sculpture from the Allied Artists of America, Inc.

1975

Lindsey Morris Memorial Award from the Allied Artists of America, Inc.

Silver Medal from the Solon Borgium Memorial Sculpture Exhibition, Oklahoma City, OK.

1977

Admitted to the Allied Artists of America.

Admitted to the National Sculpture Society, New York, NY.

Member Award from the Allied Artists of America, Inc.

N.S.S. Member Award from the National Sculpture Society.

1978

N.A.D. Gold Medal from the National Academy of Design, New York, NY.

1980

The Marylou Fitzgerald Memorial Award from the Allied Artists of America, Inc.

CLWAC Award from the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club.

1981

Therese and Edward H. Richard Memorial Prize from the National Sculpture Society Annual Exhibition.

Admitted to the National Academy of Western Art, Oklahoma City, OK.

Made a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society, New York, NY.

1983

The Johnson Atelier Award from the Audubon Artists, New York, NY.

The Joyce and Eliot Liskin Award from the Pen and Brush Club 1983 Sculpture Exhibit, New York, NY.

The Leonard J. Meiselmann Prize 50th Annual Exhibiton from the National Sculpture Society, New York, NY.

1984

The Clear Creek Arts Association Award from the North American Sculpture Exhibition, Golden, CO.

1985

Excalibur Bronze Works Award from the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, New York, NY.

1988

Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Evanston, IL.

1990

Lubbock’s Women of Excellence by YWCA of Lubbock, TX.

Honorable Mention from the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project, Washington, DC.

Louis T. Benezet Award from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO.

Artist of the Year from the Downtown Rotary Club of Santa Fe, NM.

Certificate of Appreciation from NM Governor Garrey Carruthers.

Hubbard Museum Art Award for Excellence selects Glenna’s work “Ya Ta Hey” to exhibit in Moscow, USSR and Berlin, Germany.

1991

Admitted to the North American Sculpture Society.

Award of Merit from the Albuquerque Conservation Association, Albuquerque, NM.

1992

Leonard J. Meiselmann Award for Traditional Sculpture from the Allied Artists of America, Inc., New York, NY.

Partnership for Community Design Award, Colorado Springs, CO.

1993

Glenna Goodacre Day, November 12, Alexandria VA.

Honorary Citizen of Lubbock, TX, David R. Langston, Mayor.

Honorary Proclamations from Santa Fe Mayor Sam Pick and New Mexico Governor Bruce King.

U.S. Senate Congressional Medal, 103rd Congress, First Session.

Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in American Art from Knickerbocker Artists, New York, NY.

Best Santa Fe Artist by readers of the Santa Fe Reporter.

1994

Named an Academician at the National Academy of Design, New York, NY.

Honorary Proclamation from the City of Avon, CO, and the Avon Arts Council.

Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO.

Legislative Memorial Proclamation, New Mexico 41st Legislature, Second Session.

1995

Mildred Victor Memorial Prize for Sculpture from the National Sculpture Society.

Gresham Riley Award from the Colorado College Alumni Association.

Special Recognition of Outstanding Artistic Achievement from the Museum of Texas Tech University.

1996

Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Texas Tech University.

Art Masters Award for Teacher Achievement by American Artists Magazine.

1997

N.A.D. Certificate of Merit for Sculpture from the National Academy of Design, New York, NY.

Action Award from the West Texas Museum Association.

Inductee, West Texas Walk of Fame, Lubbock, TX.

1999

Glenna Goodacre Day, March 1st, Lubbock, TX, Windy Sitton, Mayor.

Congressional Record in Recognition of Glenna Goodacre, Hon. Larry Combset, 19th Congressional District, TX.

College of Human Sciences Distinguished Leadership Award from Texas Tech University.

2000

Lubbock Area Hero.

6th Annual Roscoe Wilson Hall of Fame.

The National League of American Pen Women, Inc.

Honorary Membership for Distinguished Service.

Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, Rick Perry, Lt. Governor.

The Cannon Prize from the National Academy of Design, New York, NY.

Glenna Goodacre Day, February 29th, Albuquerque, NM, Jim Baca, Mayor.

2002

James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award for Artistic Merit.

2003

Honoree National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, Fort Worth, TX.

Texas Medal of the Arts, Austin, TX.

Portrait Society of America Gold Medal.

2005

Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts – Sculpture, Bill Richardson, Governor, NM.

Special Recognition from the City of Lubbock, TX.

A portion of 8th St. is renamed Glenna Goodacre Boulevard, Marc McDougal, Mayor.

2006

1st Annual J.T. Hutchinson Hall of Fame.

2008

Notable New Mexican from the Albuquerque Museum Foundation. The award included a portrait of Goodacre by American artist Daniel Greene to be included in the museum permanent collection and the airing of the film “Clay Masher” produced by NMPBS station KNME.

2013

Lifetime achievement award from The Booth Museum in Cartersville, Georgia.

2014

Legacy Award from the West Texas Museum Association from the Texas Tech Museum.