CAMBRIDGE – Main Street Gallery will feature one of its own member artists for the September/October exhibit. Titled “No Limits,” this show is all about the rich, colorful and imaginative mosaic pieces that Pam Watroba makes in her studio on the Eastern Shore.

Some are zany and whimsical, others are inspired by the diverse ecosystems from the ocean to the mountains of Maryland and many of her most recent pieces favor an abstract or contemporary style.

“I absolutely love mosaics,” she said. “I love to use repurposed items and make them into things of beauty. I also love to combine the beauty of glass with the hardness of metal.”

Ms. Watroba’s fascination with mosaics may have come, she says, from doing puzzles with her parents, who were avid puzzle enthusiasts. “We would spend hours looking for the perfect piece to fit in a space in large, complex puzzles. I still get that thrill when I find a piece of tesserae that fits perfectly in a piece of art.”

Tesserae, or the small blocks of tiles, stones, glass or other materials that make up a mosaic, come in many forms and colors. When she combines them with found objects, a story, often an unexpected one, is allowed to unfold.

“Sometimes I start with a thought of what I am trying to create and end up with something entirely different,” she said.

A Maryland native who grew up in Baltimore County and moved to the Eastern Shore in 1990, Ms. Watroba is a self-taught artist. She has spent countless hours studying the art of mosaics and learning through trial and error.

After a career in education and health care and raising a family, she is finally able to pursue her true passion of creating mosaic art on a full-time basis. Besides being a member of Main Street Gallery, she is a member of several local arts councils and has participated in many member shows. Main Street Gallery’s other member artists will be showing their work alongside hers for this show.

“No Limits” will open Aug. 31 and run through Oct. 29. The public is invited to two artist receptions which will take place on Second Saturdays, Sept. 9 and Oct. 14, from 5-8 p.m. The receptions are free and light refreshments will be served.

Ms. Watroba will give a brief artist talk Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Online shopping is always available on the gallery’s website at mainstgallery.net. 

Main Street Gallery is Cambridge’s only artist-owned and operated gallery and is part of the Arts and Entertainment District. Located at 518 Poplar St. in Cambridge, the gallery is currently reviewing work from prospective members and guest artists. Contact the gallery through its website or by phoning 410-330-4659.