Photo Gallery

A Gallery Organized by Story

Rather than one undifferentiated stream of images, the gallery is organized by the chapters of Gary's life. Each image carries the identifications and context known to the family; captions are refined as records are confirmed.

Military Service

Basic training, Air Force portraits, Okinawa, military documents, and appropriate service memories.

A young Gary Roberts smiling in his military dress uniform with a ROBERTS nameplate and marksmanship badges, photographed outdoors on a sunny day. — Gary in uniform, home from basic training — from the Roberts family archive.

Award-Winning Photography

Exhibition pieces, competition work, published images, and Gary's strongest portfolio selections.

A soft-focus photograph of a black-and-blue swallowtail butterfly resting on purple coneflowers. — One of Gary’s vivid nature photographs, capturing a butterfly among coneflowers.

Experimental Photography

Toy cameras, antique lenses, alternative processes, dark imagery, unusual figures, and optical experiments.

Three of Gary Roberts' artworks side by side: a sepia-toned photograph of an antique wooden figure, a lamp with a vividly marbled pink-and-blue glass shade, and a theatrical portrait of a doll-like face behind cracked glass. — Examples of Gary’s experimental visual world: altered figures, sculptural lighting, and theatrical portraiture.

Soulard Art Gallery

Exhibitions, installations, First Friday events, live music, Art of Darkness, fellow artists, and gallery history.

Gary Roberts in sunglasses and a black John Lennon “Imagine” t-shirt, leaning against a colorful doorway with a handmade “Open” sign beside him. — Gary outside Soulard Art Gallery, from the Roberts family archive.

A newspaper feature headlined “Soulard Art Gallery co-founder builds beauty from oddities,” with photographs of Gary Roberts' lamps, clocks and assemblage art. — Feature coverage of Gary’s work and his role in the Soulard art community — “Made in St. Louis,” from the Roberts family archive.

Gary Roberts smiling and holding a young boy in a striped jacket inside Soulard Art Gallery, with paintings on the walls behind them. — Gary with a young family member inside Soulard Art Gallery, from the Roberts family archive.

Grandchildren

Homecoming photographs, Father's Day golf, birthdays, school events, and shared activities.

Gary Roberts with a camera around his neck standing beside his granddaughter Ava, who is dressed for homecoming and holding a bouquet of white flowers. — Gary photographing homecoming portraits with his granddaughter Ava, from the Roberts family archive.

Gary Roberts standing on a golf course between his two grandsons, each holding a golf club. — Gary enjoying Father’s Day golf with his grandsons, from the Roberts family archive.

Roberts Family History

Monty, Lora, Laura, Tim, Peter, extended family, childhood photographs, and generational history.

A vintage school portrait of a smiling boy in a dark blazer, striped shirt and tie. — Gary Roberts as a boy in St. Louis, from the family album.

Gary Roberts in glasses and a navy sweater beside two smiling family members in a warmly lit living room. — Gary with family, preserving another generation of Roberts memories. Identifications are family-supplied.

St. Louis and Beyond

Architecture, neighborhoods, nature, travel, cycling, and the places Gary has documented through his camera.

Gary Roberts in cycling gear and helmet triumphantly lifting his bicycle overhead beside a monument at dusk. — At age 67, Gary marked 67 miles on his bicycle — an example of his energy and determination. August 2020, from the Roberts family archive.

Help Grow the Gallery

The archive continues to grow. Geospatial-career materials, exhibition records, gallery history, and family photographs are all welcome — along with titles, approximate dates, locations, people shown, and the short stories behind the images.

Contribute photographs or stories