The Wheat Ridge Gallery, located in the heart of Amish country in north Adams County, Ohio, will celebrate its grand opening Sept. 1, 2 and 3 featuring fine art and furnishings.
The gallery is the pet project of Mike and Paulette Roberts and will highlight original works by local, regional and national artists. The collection of pieces are for sale, with some being on display only. It will showcase a variety of medians including oil, watercolor and pastel paintings, sculpture, fine home furnishings, stained glass, pottery and a collection of Amish quilts.
“We don’t have any reproductions in the gallery, it will all be original work,” said Mike Roberts.
The gallery is located in what may seem like a remote area to some, but in Mike’s eyes, being surrounded by a thriving Amish residential and business community is an ideal location.
“There’s lots of tourist business in the area due to the strong Amish business community in Adams County,” Mike said, noting the Wheat Ridge community is comprised of 90 families and he and Paulette are the only “English” residents in the area.
The building that houses the Gallery was built by a family who moved out-of-state, and it has a unique story of its own.
Mike explains the gallery building is an Amish “doty” house; doty being the German word for grandparents. A doty home is built for grandparents who may need medical attention or who can’t live on their own any longer, next to their children’s home so the children can look after the grandparent.
The idea of opening a gallery comes from Mike and Paulette’s love of the arts, both visual and performing arts. Mike said his interest in theater set design and construction has been with him since his childhood and as young adults, he and Paulette became involved with community theater groups throughout southwest Ohio. Living in the Cincinnati metropolitan area, the couple also became patrons of art galleries in the area.
“My interest in art has taken me to many galleries and art shows,” Mike said.
When the couple decided to “retire” once their six children were grown, they moved to Moyer, W.Va., to become farmers, raising sheep and cattle. Once there, they helped establish The Smith Creek Playhouse community theater.
“There’s only 8,000 people in the county,” Mike said of the rural community, which is near the Shenandoah Valley. He added the first play staged by the playhouse group was also the first play any of the residents, including the actors, had ever attended.
One artist to be featured at the gallery is Mike himself, a skilled furniture maker.
“I sculpt, but I work mostly in wood,” said Mike, a former lawyer turned farmer, now artist.
One piece on display is a coffee table constructed of North Spey applewood. The tree was on the Robert’s farm in West Virginia. When the tree died, Mike saved the wood, eventually transporting it back to Ohio when they moved in 2005.
The top of the table is applewood, while the legs and stretchers are constructed of mahogany. The piece is adorned with ebony butterfly keys and drawer pull. A unique feature of the applewood top is its bowed surface, which Mike elected to keep rather than attempting to smooth away nature’s creation.
“I didn’t think I could improve on it,” he said.
In all, the Roberts have recruited 15 artists to their gallery, which will officially open Sept. 1. Local artists include Connie Bennett of Hillsboro, Ohio and Elaine Lafferty of West Union, Ohio. Bennett works in watercolors and Lafferty works in oils and watercolors. Additional artists from the Brush and Palette Art Guild have also been invited to exhibit at the gallery, as well as artists from the Pendleton Art Galleries in Cincinnati. For more than 40 years. Hasselle ran the bronze foundry at Ohio State University in the 1960s and was head of the sculpture department at the Cincinnati Art Academy where he started the ceramics program in the 1970s.
“We have an exclusive arrangement with him,” Mike said of Hasselle’s pieces at the gallery.
For Mike and Paulette, retiring to Adams County is their second “retirement” move and one that has brought them closer to their children and 12 grandchildren. Mike said they looked at property in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, because “once you live on a farm, it’s hard not to be there.”
And for them, the vistas of rolling hills and farmland in the Wheat Ridge community was reminiscent of their farm in West Virginia, but close enough to family to meet their needs.
“Adams County has the most beautiful view we could find,” Mike said.
The Wheat Ridge Gallery will host its grand opening the weekend of Sept. 1, 2, and 3. Hours on Saturday are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m, Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. and Monday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Regular gallery hours will be Thursdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information contact the Robert’s at 937-544-2363.
Contact Marla Toncray at marla.toncray@lee.net or 606-564-9091 ext. 275.
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