The Borland Gallery presents local arts and crafts in a warm, low-key setting. We have 5-6 single artist shows a year, the High School and Elementary shows plus several theme group shows and The Holiday Gift Show every Nov./Dec. The Borland Gallery will reward you with something different and exciting with each new visit, ranging from oil paintings to photography to ceramics and fused glass.

The Borland Gallery is so named in honor of Robert and Althea Meyer Borland. Robert Borland was a charter member of the Silverton Arts Association, formed in 1964. Robert served as president; Althea wrote the newsletter, worked on her tole painting and, according to some, did most of the work in the first several years of the Association.

Robert was born in 1901 in Blairsville, Pennsylvania. He came to Silverton in 1945 as an engineer and recorder with the City of Silverton. He served as city manager from 1954 to 1966 and the city engineer until 1975. He remained active as a licensed civil engineer and land surveyor until his death in 1986. Robert was also a charter officer of the Silverton Planning Commission, a charter member of the Silverton Country Historical Society, formed in 1974, and active in the Silverton Rotary Club. The Chamber of Commerce selected him as Silverton First Citizen for 1974. Robert began oil painting and drawing in pencil and ink after the Silverton Arts Association was formed.

Althea was born in 1911 on her parents’ farm at Paradise Alley near Silverton. In 1929 Althea went to work at the City of Silverton Water Department. In 1940 she was promoted to city treasurer, a job she held until 1970.

Robert and Althea were married in 1970. The Borland’s were avid vegetable and floral gardeners. They lived on her parents’ farm and harvested bushel baskets of apples, plums, and prunes to donate to the Silverton Food Bank. Althea died in 1996.