West Lafayette artist Mary Gephart Robertson shares her gift with others

WEST LAFAYETTE − Mary Gephart Robertson of West Lafayette has had a gift for drawing and painting since an early age.

Fortunately, her parents recognized her talent and asked Vivian Williams of Coshocton to give 9-year-old Mary lessons. After three years of lessons, Vivian felt Mary was developing her own unique technique and wanted to see her flourish in that direction.

The late Vivian Williams was an accomplished artist and art teacher in Coshocton. Beginning in 1950, Williams spent her summers attending art courses at Ohio University. In 1959, she opened an art studio on John Street, where she taught private classes. Over the course of her career, she taught more than 2,000 children. She was the co-founder of the Roscoe Art Guild, and her paintings won numerous awards and were displayed in galleries from New York to Los Angeles. Williams took pride in showing the world that women could paint and was Mary’s mentor. Williams died in 1998.

"As a teenager I attended autobody classes at Coshocton County Career Center. I really wanted to do just the painting portion, but I did have to complete the full collision, and welding as well, and this is when I began engraving," Mary said. "My teacher suggested it to me, and it thrived from there. Even though I do come from a creative family as my great-uncle was a professional artist specializing in cartoons, I still feel my artistry is a gift.

"For me, I find my quiet place and God speaks to me. I would say 90 percent of my paintings are God-inspired. I also try to find my inspiration by viewing things around me. In addition, seeing photographs taken by my friends or acquaintances that are posted on their sites intrigues me. Sometimes I look at those and or I think of my childhood and remember things that meant a lot to me, and I create a painting from there."

Mary is most creative late at night.

"It is tranquil. I have been told some of the paintings that I have sold gave that person confirmation of a dream or a vision that they had experienced or connected to a past loved one. Hearing those types of things is serene to me. God is using me in that manner to reach others who need this validation."

In addition to painting, Mary also works with glass, wood and metal objects that she can customize and engrave. She also a published poet.

"I would have to say though one of my favorite functions of being an artist is giving lessons as Vivian did for me and most importantly inspiring students."

A display of her work will be at the New Towne Mall in New Philadelphia May 11-12. You can contact her at 931-272-7451 or through Facebook.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: West Lafayette artist Mary Gephart Robertson shares her gift with others