Margery E. Goldberg facts for kids

Margery E. Goldberg was born in 1950. She is an American artist and someone who organizes art shows. She is also known for helping the arts in her city. Margery is most famous for starting and running the Zenith Gallery in Washington, D.C.. This gallery shows modern art of all kinds. It features over 100 artists, from new ones to those who are well-known.

About Margery Goldberg

Her Early Life and Art Journey

Margery Goldberg was born in 1950 in Rochester, New York. She started making sculptures with clay when she was just 10 years old. She took art classes at the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery while she was in elementary and high school. Even though she was good with her hands, she kept learning about art in high school. Her father worked in printing and advertising, so Margery learned about business from a young age.

Margery went to George Washington University from 1968 to 1972. She earned a degree in Fine Arts. From 1972 to 1977, she had her own workshop. It was in an old hayloft on K Street in Washington, D.C. There, she created art for people who ordered it and held her own art shows.

Starting Zenith Gallery

After Margery's K Street studio burned down in 1977, she and two friends bought a very large space. It was located at 15th Street and Rhode Island Avenue in Washington, D.C. This big area included six townhouses and other buildings. In 1978, this space became the Zenith Gallery. Margery fixed up some of the houses and rented rooms to other artists. Many of these artists also had their studios right there at Zenith Gallery.

In 1987, Margery opened a second Zenith Gallery location. It was on 7th Street's Gallery Row in Washington, D.C. This second gallery stayed open until 2009. After the first Zenith Gallery location closed in December 1987, Margery focused on making art just for herself. She would then offer these pieces for sale later. She believed it was better to create art freely.

Today, the Zenith Gallery is located at 1429 Iris Street NW, Washington, D.C. Margery also helps choose art for the lobby of a building at 1111 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Other Ways She Helps the Arts

In 1980, Margery Goldberg helped start the Arts and Entertainment News Service. This service recorded more than 30 art, music, and cultural events on video for WETA-TV public television. These videos are now an important record of the art scene in Washington, D.C.

Margery is also a strong supporter of the arts. In 2000, she started the Zenith Community Arts Foundation. This is a non-profit group that helps artists and the community in Washington, D.C. In 1998 and 2007, Margery worked on a special group called the Downtown Arts Development Task Force. From 1992 to 1997, she was a commissioner for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She also served as the treasurer for two of those years.

Awards and Recognition

Margery Goldberg has received several honors for her work in the arts:

• In 1986, she was a finalist for Washington, D.C.'s Mayor's Arts Awards. This was for her great contributions to the arts.
• In 2010, Margery was given Washington, D.C.'s Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Service to the Arts. This award recognized her outstanding help to the arts community.
• In April 2018, the Council of the District of Columbia congratulated Margery. They celebrated the 40th anniversary of Zenith Gallery. They also recognized its success in supporting the arts in Washington, D.C.