Wesley Gallery proudly offers images by Roberta Wesley in fine art Lithographs,
and Premium Canvas Giclées.
"The applause of a single human being is of great consequence"
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Realism is Roberta Wesley’s forte. Her desire is to communicate with the viewer, to create a human link, to draw out of herself that which will pique an awareness, some emotion, a mood, a mystery, a kindred experience with her viewing partner. And if a single human being can be touched by her work, their response is, indeed, of great consequence to her, both as a person and as an artist. Roberta’s work gains strength from her intense desire to reach out and build that ever-important human link.
You will be drawn to her work by the superb lighting and striking spectrum of her subject matter. Pastoral scenes, gentle remembrances and romantic nostalgia somehow co-exist with waves of rampant elephants and tigers flying through lightning drenched skies. The creative diversity of her portfolio is evidence of the intense enthusiasm that fuels her artistic vision. Roberta is an artist actively exploring and seeking to communicate life’s many expressions and viewpoints.
Roberta was born in Happy, Texas but has spent most of her adult life living out of state, exploring the diversity of our country. I have loved and been inspired by every place I've lived. "
The artist finished her first oil painting at age 12. She was born to rural schoolteachers in Happy, Texas, and grew up in neighboring small towns. She attended three Texas Universities before receiving her degree in art, then returned for further study at yet another of the state's universities.
While still living in Texas, Roberta submitted her work to a gallery in Taos, New Mexico. It was in Taos that her work found appreciation and she found her first financial success. She moved to that famous art colony soon after, eventually joining with a friend to open her own gallery. Since that time she has lived in widely diverse areas of the United States and traveled extensively.
As demand for her paintings grew through associations with some of the finest galleries in America, she began to understand that the demand for her work could be both a blessing and a curse. There seemed to be constant pressure to "slightly modify and repaint" the same most popular subjects. She began to feel she was on a "factory assembly line". Although grateful for this long awaited financial security, she longed for the excitement and risk of new creation. What to do?
A solution seemed available through print publishing. Print publishing has allowed Roberta freedom to fully develop and detail subjects that interest her, and then move on to the excitement of new inspiration: "In my mind, reproductions allow me to offer less repetitious art, work filled with the energy of new ideas."
For Roberta Wesley, the opening of Wesley Gallery in Dripping Springs represented a return home. Her return to Texas also marks her return to a retail gallery. Wesley Prints, Inc. has long been a premium wholesale art company, supplying Roberta Wesley's work to frame shops and galleries across the country and beyond. While she intends to continue her wholesale operation, she is looking forward to the intimacy of a local gallery. "I found I missed the creative interaction with other artists and art patrons. Now I hope to have the best of both worlds," she laughs. "Besides, this gallery will give me the opportunity to work with my son, Jim. It's a win-win situation!"