Artist reception will be held on Saturday August 29th from 3 to 5 pm. The public is welcome!
From Academics to Handcrafted Art: Nancy Roberts Brings Vibrant Mosaic Exhibition to Valley Artisans Market
Valley Artisans Market is pleased to present a solo exhibition of intricate contemporary mosaics by VAM member artist Nancy Roberts. The exhibition will run from August 28, 2026, through September 19, 2026, in the Small Gallery.
An artist reception will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The public is warmly invited to attend, meet the artist, and view the collection. Admission to the gallery and the reception is free.
For Roberts, creating mosaic art represents the culmination of a lifelong fascination with the visual world. After a distinguished academic career teaching history and writing—including specialized courses in early American vernacular architecture and material culture at the University of Minnesota—Roberts transitioned her passion for structure and design into the physical medium of mosaics. Her mosaics are personal, detailed and thoughtful, always bringing in the elements of the garden and nature.
The roots of her artistic journey stretch back to her childhood in Upstate New York, where her artist mother introduced her to the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica.
“As a child, my sisters and I would play for hours in the children’s area with brightly colored, translucent geometric forms, arranging them on a backlit board,” says Roberts. “Creating mosaic art brings together my favorite elements—richness of color, form, and texture. It allows me to recapture that pure childhood joy. I hope viewers experience that same sense of delight when they see my work.”
Roberts’ varied background as a Swarthmore College undergraduate, a trained photojournalist, and a designer of informal cottage gardens heavily informs her artistic eye.
“We are thrilled to showcase Nancy’s unique artistic evolution,” said the gallery committee at Valley Artisans Market. “Her deep understanding of material culture and history brings a remarkable depth and energy to our Small Gallery space.”
Valley Artisans Market is located at 25 East Main Street, Cambridge, NY. The market is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
About Nancy Roberts
Nancy Roberts is a mosaic artist, historian, and writer. After decades in academia and photojournalism, she now channels her expertise in material culture and design into fine art mosaics, creating tactile visual narratives that explore pattern, color, and light.