Gallery opens door to world of arts

The art gallery features a display of eclectic artwork, crafts and sculptures.
By MARGARET NERY
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
COLUMBIANA -- The group of women munched on sandwiches and cookies and sipped coffee as they listened to Ruth Mitchell discuss "The Art of Figure Skating" during a recent noontime gathering at Roberta's Gallery on Main Street.
The event was one in a series of brown-bag lectures, tours and demonstrations held by Roberta Myers at her gallery to introduce area residents not only to the visual arts, but to the art of entertaining and to unusual crafts.
The gallery came into fruition when Roberta's husband, Wallace Myers, retired after 40 years with U.S. Steel and asked her, "What would you like to do now?" Because of her passion for beautiful things and her desire to share her love of the arts with others, without hesitation she replied, "I want to start an art gallery."
Her background was mainly in the field of education, where she served as principal of three schools, started a day-care center and served as a chaplain at retirement homes. However, with the backing and support of her husband, Roberta transformed a building that has been everything from a shoe shop, furniture store and florist business into an art gallery, the likes of which are seldom seen in a small town.
Since opening the gallery at its present location in 2003, Roberta has traveled extensively throughout the country and Europe in an effort to make authentic, quality original artwork available to area residents.
Popular place
The 2000-square-foot gallery on a corner of the square in the heart of Columbiana contains a display of eclectic artwork, distinctive crafts and sculptures. It is often crowded to overflowing when she hosts an artist's opening or schedules a creative guest speaker.
It has also become a community gathering place where local artisans can display their original works and a Mecca for those simply interested in the arts. Visitors are encouraged to browse to their heart's content, as they select paintings, pencil drawings, pieces of ceramic, or sculptures to enhance their homes.
Roberta takes a personal interest in showing visitors her inventory of limited editions and antique art as well as framed works of the masters such as Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall and Itzchak Tarkay.
She is especially proud of her collection of stained glass designs created by artists during the period from 1890 to 1960.
"These rare works of art have been exhibited at the Butler Institute of American Art, the Three Rivers Art Festival and the Boston Fine Art Show," she said.
Roberta said she acquired her collection of patterns for stained-glass windows "when they were unearthed in the closet of an art dealer." Pieces in the collection have been painstakingly restored and framed.
She recently added an addition to her gallery where often one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture are displayed by an area businessman.
While the gallery is her major interest, Roberta is attempting to instill her interest in the arts in young people through an educational children's art program at the public library.
Roberta has literally cornered the market on art in the town, because she was willing to take a risk and do something out of the ordinary.