Arabella Magazine Article

Gallery to Visit

Galerie

d’Avignon Changing Lives with Art written by Kylie Serebrin Situated in Montreal’s picturesque Outremont, Galerie d’Avignon is known for its unique and exquisite selection of contemporary art. The gallery's purpose is rooted in the philosophy that "the true work of art is not only looked at, it really looks back. It not only changes depending on who looks at it, but it also has the capacity to change the one who looks." (Fritz Brandtner, 1896-1969).

In short, Galerie d’Avignon’s husband and wife owners, Marian Read and Andreas Giannakis, are devoted to selling superb artwork that will perform creative magic – transforming spaces and people alike.

15 years ago, Marian Read was raising three

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children and tired of working in the corporate world. She knew her life needed a new direction and she dreamed of opening her own business.

As Marian and Andreas had a shared passion for the fine arts and had been developing their own collection for decades, the art world seemed a perfect fit for them. Andreas was and still is a busy medical doctor, yet he and Marian sought to create the new business together so that when Andreas was ready to retire from medicine they would have an established gallery.

In 1998, Marian and Andreas stumbled upon the perfect space for their gallery but, due to the infamous Montreal ice storm, they were forced to wait until spring to open their doors to the public.

“I quickly discovered that being a collector and being a gallerist are two very different things,” recalls Marian with a modest smile. “Prior to our official opening, I didn’t even know how to print labels for the artworks! Being a brand new gallery, Andreas and I faced a number of distinctive challenges – chief among them was attracting artists. As experienced collectors, we knew what sort of artists and work we wanted to

Arabella Spring Awakenings 2013

represent. Still, the artists we were interested in were cautious and we had to convince them of our gallery’s unique vision, direction and style in order to persuade them to join us in our venture.

We put in very long hours, did a huge amount of legwork promoting the gallery and made countless visits to meet with artists before the gallery really took off.”

Unexpectedly, one of the first artists to jump onboard with Galerie d’Avignon was Aaron Fink – an American painter whom Marian and Andreas greatly admired, and who has remained with the gallery since its infancy. “We found it funny and a bit ironic that Aaron, an American, joined our fledging gallery so enthusiastically, when we were having such difficulty attracting local artists,” Marian remembers. “Aaron ended up holding his first Canadian solo show at Galerie d’Avignon, and our clients fell in love with his work. When asked how we came to represent him, no one could believe we had merely phoned and expressed our desire to feature him!”

Today, Galerie d’Avignon features a superb collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings

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created primarily by Canadian artists. Its sculptors include Sue Adams, Dale Dunning and Zoya Niedermann, while its roster of painters comprises David T. Alexander, Catherine Young Bates, Troy Brooks, Ann-Marie Brown, Bruno Capolongo, Chris Carbone, Nina Cherney, Renée du Rocher, Ron Eady, Aaron Fink, Sarah Hatton, JC Heywood, Henry Wanton Jones, Tom Lovatt, Kai McCall, Janet Read, Bill Rose, Janice Mason Steeves, Heidi Thompson, Carl White and Bette Woodland. The works of these artists span a wide range of styles and subject matter – from abstract to high realism.

In April, 2013, Galerie d’Avignon will feature works by Carl White, whose gorgeous figurative and landscape oils and encaustics celebrate poetry, rhythm and the sublime. “Carl’s images dance between realism and abstraction, text and flesh – moving beyond literal representation to explore greater truths about the human condition,” Marian notes. “Then, in May, we’ll be highlighting the work of Janet Read – a veritable master of bold colour relationships, whose abstract canvases express a profound, complex and intuitive connection between the physical and

Gallery to Visit: Galerie d'Avignon • page 363

top, Early Yellow Valleys, 24” x 96”, acrylic, by David T. Alexander bottom left, Red Boat, 40” x 60”, acrylic, by Nina Cherney bottom right, Nature is rarely wrong, 40" x 60”, acrylic, by Nina Cherney

above, Yellow Patina 2011, 50” x 40”, acrylic, by Heidi Thompson left, Blue Chair Cowgirl, 30” x 22”, oil, by Henry Wanton Jones

above, September Passion 2012, 50” x 46”, acrylic, by Heidi Thompson bottom, Banana Split 2012, 30” x 40”, oil, by Aaron Fink

above, Ripa’s Manual, 40” x 40”, oil, by Carl White right, Of History and Lies, 48” x 74”, oil, by Carl White

contemplative worlds. Read’s paintings take us on imaginative voyages through space, using colour, line and shape as her vehicles.”

According to the owners, Galerie d’Avignon’s eclectic and unexpected selection of artists is part of what makes it both special and successful. “As collectors ourselves for over 35 years, we have never stopped choosing art and artists that we love. It’s supremely important to us that we truly admire the artwork and the people who create it.

Also, being collectors, we look at art in a unique way. We aren’t interested in trends that simply sell quickly. Instead, we look for quality work that is fairly priced in the marketplace. Because we respect and regard our artists so highly, we are lucky to count many of our artists as friends,” notes Marian.

Similarly, Marian and Andreas enjoy many

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enduring relationships with their clients, due to their honest and respectful customer service. “Our clients return to us on a regular basis, because they know they can rely on our candid and dependable opinions regarding art and the art market,” Marian explains. “We even downsized our space recently, despite our growing group of artists, because we wanted to achieve a smaller and more intimate environment in which clients are able to engage closely with the artworks.”

Given Galerie d’Avignon’s dedication to fostering a pleasurable gallery experience and building mutually satisfying relationships with their customers, it is only natural that so many clients have become friends of Marian and Andreas, remaining loyal to the gallery while building their lifelong collections. The owners also emphasize the important role played by Galerie d’Avignon’s

Arabella Spring Awakenings 2013

top left, Daedalus Wall Hanging, bronze, by Dale Dunning bottom left, Green Man II, bronze, by Dale Dunning right, Rising Canon, 58” x 36”, oil, by Kai McCall

above, Hair Blown, 20” x 16”, oil, by Kai McCall left, Blue Handed Infanta, 48” x 48”, oil, by Tom Lovatt

above, Wave, 36” x 42”, oil, by Bette Woodland right, Jack, 40” x 30”, oil and encaustic, by Ann-Marie Brown

passionate and dedicated staff, which includes two of their own adult children who work there while attending university. “Our family keeps the gallery running with a combination of expertise, efficiency and warmth,” Marian notes.

Galerie d’Avignon’s goals for the future include constantly informing themselves about new developments occurring in the art market and attracting a new audience of young collectors. “Although we have been established for many years, there is a whole new generation of collectors who haven’t heard about us or stepped through our doors,” Marian points out. “We will continue to market our gallery to these young collectors, because we love to pass on our passion and extensive experience with collecting to art lovers who are just dipping their

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toes into the art market for the first time. Plus, our consultation services and flexible payment plans allow us to accommodate clients who are still exploring their personal taste. We want every client to find and acquire the piece they were meant to fall in love with, because that is what we have always done ourselves. We have remained true to ourselves by featuring only those artworks that we genuinely love.”

Galerie d’Avignon Marian Read and Andreas Giannakis 88 Avenue Laurier West, Montreal, QC, H2T 2N4 514.278.4777 marian@galeriedavignon.ca www.galeriedavignon.ca

Arabella Spring Awakenings 2013