Roberta Wesley
WESLEY, ROBERTA
Realism is 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 as a person, to her as an artist. The artist's work gains strength from her intense desire to reach out and build that ever-important human link.
When viewing the works of Roberta Wesley, you are instantly aware of the 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. She is an artist actively exploring and seeking to communicate life's many expressions and viewpoints.
She was born in Happy, Texas. She began drawing at about age 12, receiving encouragement from her mother. Her parents were rural schoolteachers, raising her with love within the strict confines of their Southern Baptist faith.
She studied drama at West Texas State University, art at the University of Texas, and received her degree in art from Texas Woman's University. As with many novice artists, she worked for a time in commercial art. She also did portraits, experimenting with many different mediums and styles.
Wesley's originals hang in numerous private collections throughout the United States, including those of former President Lyndon Johnson and Texas Governor Alan Shivers. Her gallery associations have included the Overland Trail Gallery, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Conquistador Gallery, Taos, N.M.; Savage Gallery, Santa Fe, N.M., DeGarmo Galleries, Hawaii; and the Lindsey Gallery, Carmel, Calif.
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