Meeting Mr. Myrtle
by: Matthew Hundley
My trip to the Henry W. Myrtle gallery in Cedar Falls was long in the making. I do not know if it was low expectations or lack of initiative on my part, but I never made it through those doors.
It was a conversation with Tatiana Ivaschenko-Jackson that started my brain to creating a story about Henry W. Myrtle. A few years back she had an installation at The Gallery, an art space above The Cellar on East 4th Street in Waterloo.
I remember Tatiana telling me that the Henry W. Myrtle gallery in Cedar Falls represented her and that Gary Kelley’s work was also featured there.
Now the mystique of Henry Myrtle set in. I really did want to meet this Henry Myrtle fellow and find out what treasures lie hidden in this gallery space on College Hill in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
A couple weeks back I had the opportunity to stop in wander the gallery space as well as meet the legendary proprietor, who by the way is not Henry W. Myrtle, but rather Hugh Pettersen.
For the sake of this article we will call our interview subject Henry W. Myrtle – a name derived from Pettersen’s father’s first name, Hugh; his brother, Wesley, contributes the “W.” for a middle initial; and his mother brings “Myrtle” into the equation.
The sky was dark and thunder rumbled as I entered the gallery’s main room filled with painting, photography, ceramics and unique gifts. I took a quick spin around the space while the man I suspected was Henry Myrtle finished up with a patron.
”Can I help you?” asked the man, who looked the role of proprietor and patron of the finer arts with a certain austere disposition, a gray gotee and pleasant round build.
”Yes. I’m Matthew Hundley with the CVEA publication here for our interview.”
”Let’s sit in here,” he said, and directed me to a table in an adjoining gallery space that had the work of Ivaschnko-Jackson, Gary Kelley and Kim Behm on the walls (all very talented artists from this area).
There is something to being surrounded by art. The art that I was looking at all had a certain timbre or quality to it. “How do you select the pieces that fill these walls?”
”It has to be something I like. Something that fits it,” he replied. “It has to be something that fits my taste, my sense of artistry. Now, that doesn’t mean I won’t take something unusual. I look for pieces that are worthwhile for people to see.”
Mr. Myrtle is not an artist. In fact Myrtle was a tailor before his interest in arts got the best of him.
”If you had stopped by 20 years ago you would be in a men’s clothing store. Back then we only had the one storefront. It wasn’t until around 1984 that I made the change. Then in 1992 we added this second room for additional gallery space.”
So how did Henry W. Myrtle turn from tailor to purveyor of fine art?
”I had always had an interest in art, but no formal training other than an art appreciation course I took at the University of Colorado,” Myrtle told me. “My interest in art inspired me to launch the College Hill Arts Festival. My research took me to festivals across the Midwest and in doing that I met lots of artists and others like myself who had an interest in the arts.”
”I was still running the clothing store. Not being the most practical person and definitely not the most analytical of businessmen, I thought turning this space into an art gallery would be a neat thing to do, so I did it.”
I wanted to know how he found artists to feature in his gallery space.
”At first I would seek them out, but today most of the artists approach me. They hear about Henry W. Myrtle from word of mouth or other gallery owners,” he explained.
”Do you limit yourself to Iowan artists,” I asked.
”I definitely have an interest in Iowan artists. I represent many of the prominent artists in this market,” he said. “Also, many of my buyers are Iowans – they many be in California or New York or Colorado now, but they have an Iowa connection.”
I ask about those who buy art, “You’re by a college campus. I’m sure not everyone can afford the pieces on these walls.
”You know I had a buyer in from Chicago who asked me if the prices on the piece were wholesale. But you’re right there are some who cannot afford these pieces. These people will come in and look at a piece many times. If they really want it, they find a way to own it.”
”This is the kind of person I want to see a piece go to. If there’s one thing I abhor it’s add-on sales. I want people who really appreciate the art, and I’m willing to work with them to attain the piece. If a college student makes a sacrifice to own a piece of art then he or she is going to enjoy that piece all the more.”
I comment on the diversity of work and the caliber of talent on the walls of the gallery. I ask, “What sells?”
”The pottery, the gift items are what I sell a lot of,” he tells me. At this point we have gotten up and are roaming the main gallery space.
As we close the interview he tells me, “I’m just grateful that people come in. And come back. You know so many people come from out-of-state and say, ‘I’ve got to come back’ and they do. They appreciate the Myrtle Gallery being here.”
In my hour or so with Mr. Myrtle and exploring the gallery, I too can say I appreciate him being there.
**
Hugh Petterson is the proprietor of the Henry W. Myrtle Gallery located at 915 W. 23rd St., Cedar Falls, IA 50613 and can be reached by phone at (319) 266-0168. Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday, 9:37 a.m. - 5:23 p.m.
Posted: December 19, 2003  
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