Lift Every Voice - Oral Histories - Deborah Roberts

DR: Well, because I felt, true or untrue, that there were a lot of spaces in Austin closed to me, I have systematically decided that Austin was one part of the country, in the world it’s a little speck, and that I need to, you know, look in different, other parts of the country for recognition and acceptance. So, early on I always wanted—my father never believed in me as an artist—and, I don’t think, I know my mother did. But, I always wanted that when she would go and clean other people’s houses or whatever, and she would ride the bus [through] downtown Austin and, if she went past one of the museums, that maybe, maybe one day one of my works would be in there. Now, I always wanted that. I wanted her to know that my work was in one of those buildings while she was waiting for the bus. And that had always been my dream. And I wanted that for her. Then when it didn’t happen and there’s no chance of that happening and I was ok with that because that’s not what she wants. She wants me to succeed as an artist the best way I can, you know. So once you go through all that garbage, you know then you can really move forward.

So there is no space in Austin that I hope to be in anymore. If I’m in, they’re going to ask me and I’m either gone accept or not accept. But as far as the world is concerned, I want to be in the Studio Museum of Harlem so bad I can taste it. I mean, I want, to me that is the top African American art museum in the country. To go there will really be something special. I want to have a show in New York; I don’t care where it is. I want to have that once in my life you know. So, those are my aspirations. I have shown at the Museum of Science and Industry along with fourteen or fifteen other artists and I always thought, “Man, the Museum of Science and Industry, that’s a damn big museum.”

You know, you look at the Austin Museum of Art, the Arthouse, the Blanton, I mean this is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. And, so having a show there was really great-, having a show at the Cultural Center in Chicago was great. You know, those are venues that if my work is good enough to show at those venues, then it’s good enough to show here in Austin, Texas. And when you get to that point where you say it’s not even about you any more, it’s just not the direction these spaces are going in. You just have to grow up and just let that go and find other avenues to show your work. Because I always just thought I was an okay artist until I went to Chicago and had different galleries fighting over me showing in their space. The goal with the Cultural Center, I brought twenty, I brought forty pieces and five or six of them were already sold, I borrowed those. I sold the most anyone has ever sold in that place. I sold seventeen original paintings. And you know so, I have to be somewhat good you know. So when you have those type of successes, that helps you fight when things don’t work your way. We all get rejection letters. Rejection letters went out last week and the week before to most people in Austin applying to certain events and, everybody, we called around. “Did you get your rejection?” “Yes.” You know, “Yes.” It’s disappointing, but I’d rather be rejected from Skowhegan than La Guna Gloria. The big difference--rejection is rejection--but by golly I’d rather be rejected from the Queen of England instead of Barbara Bush, you know.

Disclaimer:
“Oral Narrative as History.” Students received class credit for this work, and were under the supervision of Dr. Martha Norkunas, director of “The Project in Interpreting the Texas Past.”

Every effort has been made to transcribe the audio recordings exactly. On occasion a word, or phrase, was difficult to hear and this is indicated by a question mark in brackets.

Interviewee:
Deborah Roberts

Interviewer:
Clare Croft

Date of Interview:
February 8, April 4, 2006

Place:
Deborah Robert’s home, Austin, Texas

Recording Format:
Edirol digital recorder, Uncompressed wave file

Transcriber:
Clare Croft