After he “retired” last September, from For the Love of Art, Bob Schira spent several months visiting his grandchildren in Georgia and having the time to paint. “This is what I have been doing all of my life,” he stated.

But when the opportunity presented itself to acquire the entire building at 4027 Holland Sylvania Rd. Schira was ready to come back. He had purchased two-thirds of the building for his art business in 2005 and had wanted to own the entire building for some time. “This additional space opens up three classrooms for us and there are art teachers looking for a place to teach. Besides that, I really missed teaching and I’m ready to get back,” he said.

Schira noted that the three new classrooms will allow for several lessons to be ongoing simultaneously. He plans to begin classes for adults of all ages and children beginning at age 5 by mid-April. Schira plans to be involved with some adult and high school-aged students and anticipates adding at least three other instructors to offer drawing and painting with watercolors, acrylics and oils. “Our children’s classes are creatively based. These young artists are put in situations so they can find their own solutions,” he said.

“When my father, Bob, retired earlier this year, I continued to offer framing services. We had decided to stop selling art supplies, which allows me more room for the framing business,” his son, Ross Schira, noted.
He pointed out that he has been working in the shop since his dad relocated For the Love of Art to its present location in 2005. “I began learning about the framing business from my dad while I was still in high school. I really enjoy working with people and helping them select mats and frames to best display their art,” Schira offered. “While I do appreciate all mediums of art, unlike my dad, I am no artist.”

According to Schira, the space that once housed the retail art supplies now provides gallery space for his dad’s paintings along with the artwork of former students and other area artists.“This gallery space offers a venue for many local artists to exhibit and sell their work,” Schira said. “Artists will see that their art can be on display when they bring in work to be framed. People who stop in to view the artwork on exhibit will see that we also do framing so it works well for all of us. And, this is a way for my dad and me to give back to the many artists in the area who have been loyal customers.”

Bob Schira graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and from Bowling Green State University with a Master of Fine Arts degree. In 1995, he acquired the five-year-old For the Love of Art business from Rita Visser, which had been located in a shopping center on McCord Road and Central Avenue.
“My dad taught himself to frame for his own artwork, which was easy as he grew up in a construction family and knows his way around tools. And, as his students learned through the years, he is an excellent teacher and I learned so much from him. It is great to be working together again.”

For the Love of Art hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm.