Owners deal in Texas artwork

Much like it did with Texas country music and Texas barbecue, the Lone Star State has inspired its own style of artwork. Prime examples of this Texan movement can be found at the Sallie Fisher Art Gallery in Tomball.

Sallie Fisher, who owns the gallery, is an authorized dealer for some of Texas' greatest painters. Her gallery is stocked with the Austin city streets of G. Harvey, the open landscapes of Larry Dyke and the proud Native American portraits of Martin Grelle, among others. In total, the gallery represents 40 artists.

"What we sell are reproductions—gicles on canvas—and the dealers for many of these artists are very limited," Fisher said.

Texas-based artist G. Harvey only does around 250 reproductions for each piece, which are distributed to 200 dealers around the country, Fisher said. They are all signed and numbered and come with certifications of authenticity.

"It makes things a little better for us, because we're in the network," she said. "If someone comes in and wants a certain piece by one of our artists, and it's already sold out, I can get it."

Fisher runs the gallery with her husband, Bill Usrey. They work with the publishing company, Somerset Fine Art. Fisher maintains personal friendships with many of the artists she represents, including both Harvey and Dyke, the latter of whom she has been friends with for 40 years.

While many of the artists Fisher works with are nationally known, she also works with local artists in an effort to provide a wider variety. Local painter Tasneem Mandviwala is one of the artists who provides Fisher with her original pieces.

"We like to give people a choice," Fisher said. "We're very western and Texas, but you never know when somebody will walk in the door who really isn't interested in that. We try to be versatile."

The gallery also offers shadowboxing and framing services. While Fisher said she has always had a pretty good grasp of the value of art, she believes the true value can only be determined by each individual person.

"Many people buy art as an investment," she said. "I always say to buy it because you like it, and you want to hang it on the wall. If it goes up in value, that's the gravy."

Shadowboxing

The owners of the Sallie Fisher Art Gallery specialize in shadowboxing, the process of taking an object of value and arranging it in a glass frame.

The gallery has shadowboxed items like George Foreman's autographed boxing gloves, former Houston Rocket Hakeem Olajuwon's jersey and a flag flown during Pearl Harbor.

Co-owner Bill Usrey shadowboxed his grandfather's change purse and snuff can, which are on display in the gallery.

All shadowboxing and custom framing is done with museum quality materials, using acid-free paper and special glass that protects against UV rays. Costs vary for frames.

Sallie Fisher Art Gallery, 104 Commerce Street, Tomball, 281-315-5535, www.salliefishersart.com