Artistic Roots and Academic Pursuits
Born Brenda King on September 11, 1948, her father was a drawing board operator who introduced her to the world of art. Her talent was evident early on, and she won a high school art award upon graduation in 1966. She pursued her passion by studying Fine Arts at the University at Buffalo, where she received a scholarship in her third year. These formative experiences laid the groundwork for her multifaceted artistic career.
Modeling and Acting: A Decade of Exploration
During the 1970s, Brenda relocated to New York City and embarked on a modeling career that took her to Paris. After a decade in the fashion world, she returned to New York and enrolled in an acting class under renowned teachers Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler, later continuing her studies in Los Angeles with Peggy Feury. Her filmography includes roles in films like “Dawn of the Mummy” (1981) and appearances in television series such as “Remington Steele.”
Personal Life: Love, Loss, and Legacy
In 1989, Brenda married actor Roy Scheider, recognized for his role in “Jaws.” The couple had two children, Christian and Molly Mae, and lived in Long Island’s Sagaponack. Together, they co-founded the Hayground School in 1996, a multicultural elementary school in Bridgehampton, New York, emphasizing hands-on, experiential learning. Roy sadly passed away in 2008 from multiple myeloma, a loss that deeply affected Brenda.
Documentary Filmmaking: Stories That Matter
Brenda’s first documentary filmmaking was very personal. Her first film, “I Know a Song,” followed her mother’s 16 years journey with Alzheimer’s disease. Completed in the mid-80s, the documentary aired internationally and was gifted to the Alzheimer’s Association. She continued to make documentaries with films such as “Is it really me?” (2003), a story about the experiences of young women coming of age, and “In My Hands – A Story of Marfan Syndrome” (2009), co-directed with her friend, the late Ann Reinking.
Artistic Renaissance: Watercolors and Global Inspiration
After years dedicated to film and family, Brenda returned to her artistic roots, focusing on watercolor painting. Encouraged by her second husband, architect and iPadPro artist Sam Neustadt, whom she married in 2012, Brenda embraced plein air painting. The couple traveled to Italy, where they painted in small towns and studied Italian in Florence. They lived in a tiny apartment on Ile Saint-Louis in Paris during the pandemic, where Brenda set up her painting studio by the tall windows, capturing the city’s light and essence.