Roberta Edwards is having her first art show, Face Value, January 19th through March 3rd at the Havre Atrium. There is an artist reception open to everyone to celebrate her expression of herself. Sometimes goals surface as you finally start working on your gifts! Roberta has been married to Craig and living on the farm for 29 years. Although she started painting several years ago it wasn’t until recently that she’s discovered the absolute joy of developing her skills.

In high school her favorite classes were creative writing and watercolor but she didn’t continue to develop her passions until she took the oil painting class at MSUN. Roberta next ventured into a drawing class for a semester and now she is enrolled in a watercolor class for a semester.

Roberta’s mother was a painter, although she never actually saw her mother paint and Roberta regrets that. She does have several of her mother’s paintings, as does her siblings. She feels her mother most likely struggled as she does in believing that art “work” is of value as other “work” is. Sometimes Roberta plays a game with herself, “Get the laundry started and then you can paint for two hours,” or “Mow six hours and then you can paint,” and sometimes even, “Get showered and dressed, then you can paint until lunchtime.” Craig, her husband is an artist himself using camera lens to create incredible works of art. He is very supportive of Roberta’s desire to fulfill her deep need to create. The best light in their house is in the dining room, but she is trying to keep the work in the “guest-room/studio/office” in the SW corner of the house.

Painting is relaxing and exhilarating for her at the same time! Proof that finding and doing what has been a desire of her heart was to finally paint, even though she didn’t quite understand all of it herself.

Roberta just returned from a trip to Seattle for a book launch for Steve Sibra, who included some of her pictures in his odd poetry book. This will be the third book she has illustrated for Steve Sibra.

Roberta joined Artitudes Co-op Gallery in The Atrium in Havre in 2017. She works there several days a month (as all co-op members do) and will be the featured artist this month, and there is an opening reception for her very first show, “Face Value,” January 19, 2018 from 6-8 pm.