RALA50: Exhibition of work by Roycroft Master Dorothy Markert at Art Dialogue

Art Dialogue Gallery at Five Linwood Avenue will open an exhibition survey of screenprints by Western New York Artist and Roycroft Master Dorothy Markert (American, 1932 – 2018) on Saturday, September 12, at 12 p.m. The exhibit will be on view from September 12 through October 31, 2026.

This exhibition highlights a selection of works covering the wide range of subject matter depicted in her work. The exhibit was curated by gallery director, Donald J. Siuta. and was planned in conjunction with and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Roycrofters at Large Association. 

About the Artist: 

Dorothy Markert (American, 1932-2018) was a Master Roycroft Artisan, Emeritus, printmaker and instructor primarily known for her silkscreens of stylized flowers in Arts & Crafts pottery, as well as landscapes, winterscapes, architectural prints, pottery, fiber art pieces, stained glass, jewelry and pottery. Dorothy was born in 1932, and grew up in Kearny, NJ to Wilbur James Harvey, an engineer at General Electric, and Clara Eleanor (née Mattson) Harvey, a lifelong needleworker who took up painting late in life. Dorothy had an older brother, Norman Wilbur and a younger sister, Virginia.

Dorothy graduated from Kearny High School in 1949 and Traphagen School of Design in New York City in 1952. She also studied at the Art Students’ League in New York and worked briefly as an artist at American Girl Magazine, published by the Girl Scouts. She then worked at Bell Labs, where she was a technical illustrator, and it was there that she met her future husband John Philip Markert, an electrical engineer. They were married on Aug. 14, 1954, in the First Lutheran Church in Arlington, N.J. In 1961, Bell Telephone offered Markert a transfer to Western New York, and in early 1962 the Markerts settled into the large home on Maple Avenue in Hamburg where they lived for most of their lives. She has received numerous awards throughout Western New York for printmaking, painting, and fiber arts. After the death of her husband in October 2014, Dorothy retired from working that following spring and was named master artist emeritus by the Roycrofters-At-Large-Association.

Dorothy exhibited widely, often at Art Dialogue Gallery and also taught in many settings, including at the Chautauqua Institution. She was a founding member of the Western New York Artists Group and helped create the Centennial Art Center. She was an active member of the Hamburg Historical Society and Hamburg Art Society. A voracious reader until the end of her life, she served as a trustee of the Hamburg Library. Dorothy passed away July 27, 2018 at the age of eight-six at her residence at Fox Run in Orchard Park, New York.

Artist Statement:

When I moved to Western New York I had an immediate impression of the strong character of the buildings and of the landscape in this area. When I started using screen printing to express what I saw and felt. I found that breaking down images into areas of flat color simplified and strengthened my work. That led me to experiment–printing on different surfaces and using a variety of stencil making techniques. I printed everything, landscapes, historical architecture, portraits, nature studies, quilt blocks on fabric and traditional quilt patterns on paper as subjects for framed art. I have conducted classes and workshops all over the area, from the famous Chautauqua Institution to the Amherst Museum. Dorothy Markert

From the RALA Executive Board of Directors:

Dorothy Markert is a beloved RALA Master whose work is a treasured part of our canon of Roycroft Renaissance artists and commands well-deserved wide reaching acclaim within the broader WNY art community. Besides her distinction as a Roycroft Master, Markert is also a former member of the RALA Board of Directors and also served as our Mark Jury Chair. We are thrilled to have her work given attention by WNY Artist Group and Art Dialogue Gallery and grateful to Don Siuta for including RALA and our anniversary celebrations in his 2026 exhibition calendar. We encourage all members or interested persons to join us on Saturday to celebrate the work of this master of her medium.

For information about this event and the gallery at Art Dialogue Gallery, phone 716-885-2251