Pop-up location in Iowa City sells Schuster’s work

IOWA CITY - Longtime printmaker Sylvia Schuster has been showing and selling her work for decades.

But until recently, there was no gallery in town solely dedicated to her pieces.

That changed recently when Katie Strain and Matt Wagner opened a popup gallery on Washington Street in downtown Iowa City.

'I met Sylvia in Iowa City six years ago,” said Wagner, who also works at the Iowa Police Department. 'I would always see her walking downtown with these beautiful drawings. She agreed to show me some of her work and we became quick friends from there.”

At that point, Wagner said Schuster was mainly selling her work in New York, Washington and California.

'She was going by bus, taking drawings on excursions, going to people's homes to show the drawings on the floor,” Wagner said. 'I thought it was fascinating that she was doing that. I said, ‘why are you not photographing them and emailing,' and she said, ‘i don't have a computer.'”

Wagner started photographing the prints, and created a website dedicated to her work, http://www.sylviaschuster.com/

In early February, Wagner and his fiancee, Strain, who has taken entrepreneurial classes at the University of Iowa, were approached by Mark Ginsburg, who owns the Washington Street space, about putting a gallery there.

'He came to us and said he would do a sublease if we wanted to do a gallery or any type of business proposal there,” Wagner said.

In four days, the two figured out they would open a gallery showcasing Schuster's work.

'We've had a couple of events and had upwards of 200 people come visit,” Wagner said.

The gallery has no set hours, and only is open by appointment. Wagner said they also are willing to do private showings.

'We get a lot of previous collectors and new people who want to come in and experience it for themselves,” Wagner said. 'We try to customize experiences for people.”

Wagner said he doesn't know how much longer the gallery will be open.

'We're basing it off interest, how many people and events we are partnering with,” Wagner said. 'We'd like to have a more permanent location. We have a lot of collectors in Chicago and might have opportunities to come up that way too.”

Wagner said Schuster is a little bit indifferent about having a gallery solely showing her work.

'She cares a lot about the drawings. It's hard for her to sell them; they're almost like children to her,” Wagner said. 'When we sell one she's happy, but she goes through a mourning process. She's had some of them for 30 to 40 years.”

If you go

The pop-up gallery, which opened in February, is at 112 E. Washington St. in Iowa City. Call (319) 530-7800 or email info@schusterdrawings.com to make an appointment.