Get Art, andGet Framed, on Gore! - theHumm April 2015
Get Art, andGet Framed, on Gore! - theHumm April 2015
By John Pigeau
Every shop has its story.
The story behind Perth’s new Gallery on Gore is a charming one; the sort that makes you smile and reminds you that it is entirely possible to pursue your dreams and passions.
The art gallery is owned by a couple, Kevin Gray and his wife Johanne Lacroix. Both Kevin and Johanne have always loved art. For years Kevin worked as a police officer, while Johanne was a professional graphic designer who had operated her own business in Toronto for over twenty years.
Restless, and as Kevin puts it, “tired and depleted by the rat race,” they abandoned their careers in midlife and “pushed on for greener pastures.” They moved from Toronto to Perth, and Kevin tried his hand at masonry, while Johanna took a sales job.
“But there was always that dream of operating our own little gallery someday,” Kevin says.
When they chanced to find an attractive space in downtown Perth — a small space, as Kevin describes it, but with “some lovely exposed masonry and great main street positioning… just enough assets to make it a plausible gallery location” — they snatched up the opportunity and opened Gallery on Gore.
They are happy they did.
“The feedback from community members and visitors has been tremendous,” Kevin says. “People have been very supportive and encouraging. As a result, the experience so far has been very positive and rewarding. We feel as though we have added an asset to the community.”
The gallery, located at 92 Gore Street East, features the work of over thirty artists — “mostly local,” Kevin says, “but with some international representation as well.” Some of the artists are emerging; others established and esteemed. The gallery also features drawings, paintings, glass, stone and wood sculptures. “The collection is ever-changing,” Kevin says, “and we hope to soon include textiles, ceramics and jewellery.”
The gallery’s tagline is “art for life.”
“We believe that original art has a place in every life,” Kevin adds, “and we strive to maintain as diverse a collection as our limited space will allow. Equally important is atmosphere. We want our visitors to feel as comfortable browsing our collection as they would be at home among friends.”
Johanna and Kevin may have walked away from the rat race to pursue their dreams, yes, but Kevin prefers to put it this way: “we rebuilt with a view to creating space for our passions.”
The shop next door has a story too.
Conveniently, that store — Perth Picture Framing Shop — complements its neighbour quite neatly.
“It’s absolutely great!” says new owner Geoff Stimpson. “We’re complementary businesses that go extremely well together. In fact, most framing stores have a small gallery within their shop. We do too — my intentions are to focus on themes, local artists and photographers. The owners of Gallery on Gore have been very supportive of me.”
The Perth Picture Framing Shop, formerly part of Gallery Perth, is now located at 88 Gore Street East. It offers customers professional framing of their creative works and treasured keepsakes. The shop had a very successful grand opening in its new home in March.
“The opening went very well,” says its new owner. “I received lots of support from friends, family, local artists and residents… and lots of energy and positive comments about the shop.”
Geoff Stimpson’s story is not unlike his neighbours’. For thirty years, Geoff owned a logistics business in Ottawa that served the healthcare community. He sold the business in 2012 and took some time off, but then, as he says, “I decided that owning a business was good for me.”
He searched the country for businesses for sale. Then he “literally stumbled upon Perth Picture Framing on the City of Perth website.”
Geoff explains, “The more I thought about it and talked it over with my friends and family, the more it made sense. I’m an amateur photographer, Perth appealed to me, the business connected me to the community, and picture framing was something I did when I was younger. All that with a business background,” he adds, “the opportunity was the right fit.”
So far, he doesn’t regret his decision one bit. “I’m really enjoying myself. I’m learning new skills, meeting new people, and it gives me an energy that I’ve missed having since the sale of my previous business.”
The framing shop provides a number of services, including custom framing, frame repair, mounting and laminating and professional guidance on choosing the right frame solution that both enhances and complements people’s creative artwork and cherished keepsakes, such as photographs.
“Custom framing is really about preserving items for display so they’ll last for a very long time without showing any signs of age,” Geoff says.
The best part of owning the shop, he says, are the “shared stories that accompany each framing project. They connect you to the client, and that is a very special feeling.”
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