About

Gallery de Boer – Fine Art & Jazz owner and curator Ron de Boer has always loved art. His interest in art began as a six-year-old in Amsterdam when he was introduced to a neighbour, Jacobus Columbus, who happened to be a master painter and organist. This unlikely pair bonded, forming a relationship that lasted until a 15-year-old Ron immigrated to Canada with his family.

As a young adult, Ron started his career in architecture, but art continued to be a passion. An avid amateur photographer, Ron had the opportunity to accompany renowned wildlife artists Robert Bateman and Ron Parker on a photo shoot in northern British Columbia. Transfixed, Ron watched these talented painters capture an animal’s nature and personality on canvas. This trip was the first in a series of many worldwide field trips, which cemented Ron’s love of photography as an art form. Consequently, photography continues to play a big part in the success of the gallery.

Early on Ron discovered the creative spirit that drives artists to produce works of art is often mixed with eccentric, non-conformist personalities. Whenever he bought a painting or a sculpture, it became important to him to speak with the artist and understand their motivation to create that particular piece.

This interest not only in art but in the artists and their stories eventually led Ron to open his first official art gallery in 1978, on the outskirts of Palmerston, Ontario. He moved the gallery to Meaford in 1988, while simultaneously operating a part-time gallery in Toronto. Finally he opened his gallery in Owen Sound in 1993.

During this time Ron continued to run his architectural consulting business. In spite of this he managed to: maintain a 500 square foot space that showcased high end works of art, conduct art evaluations and secondary market searches, participate in exhibitions and manage private art collections. By 1999 the gallery had expanded to 2000 square feet, became more than a full time career – it was a labour of love. Additional staff was hired and other services, such as conservation and period framing, were added.

Fast forward to September 2001 when Gallery de Boer – Fine Art & Jazz was officially opened in its current location, upstairs at 970 – 2nd Avenue East in Owen Sound. With over 4000 square feet of renovated space, it is a rare full-service gallery outside a big city. The restoration department became a reality and the gallery now has five expert employees.

Gallery de Boer represents a wide variety of artists; there is truly something for every taste. However, Ron does have a few areas of concentration. Taking advantage of the wealth of local and regional talent, you can see the best of Grey and Bruce County artists on display at any time. From Alan Tomlinson to Lorne Wagman, Patric Ryan to Jean Francis, Gallery de Boer is the place to go for top quality regional art. The gallery collection also includes an exceptional variety of national and international artworks.

From the beginning, Ron has had an interest in First Nations Art and has always had a good selection of Native North American art for sale. Recently Ron has expanded his collection of original First Nations art – it now makes up 30 percent of the Gallery. Artwork by renowned Canadian Native artists such as Isaac Bignell, Eddie Cobiness, Goyce Kakegamic, David Morrisseau, Norval Morrisseau, James Simon, Randy Trudeay, Carl Ray, Blair DeBassige, David Williams and others can all be seen and purchased at Gallery de Boer – Fine Art & Jazz.

Ron feels that acquiring good quality works of art does not have to be an unaffordable luxury. His collection management service focuses on consultation and careful planning. By helping patrons become informed consumers, Ron ensures they become capable of making wise art investment decisions suited to their particular taste, budget and environment.

“Establishing an art collection is a lifelong process”, says Ron. “People’s tastes and budgets change over the years. We specialize in helping people make good choices, so they can enjoy the art and hopefully realize some equity at the same time.”

While Ron de Boer is definitely the heart and soul of Gallery de Boer, he’s not the entire picture. Over the years he has gathered around him a team of talented art professionals. Truly a full service gallery, Ron and his team offer art restoration, photo restoration, custom and conservation framing, evaluations, collection and estate management, art leasing and much more.