| Art elevates the spirit and grounds the soul...at home and at work!
Sandra Outram is co-owner, with her husband Eric, of the Art Beat Gallery in St Albert. Sandra is also the mother of a complex extended, blended family that includes four daughters, three stepchildren, three grand-children, two step-grandchildren, and her mother, who lived with them for many years. Achieving the balance in her life that allows for family time to hug the grandchildren and yet maintain a successful business is her fondest wish. If you had asked Sandra when she was younger what she wanted to be when she grew up she would have answered lawyer, social worker or some other profession that helped people solve their life dilemmas, but her artsy side would not have come to the fore. Now she is primarily responsible for the daily operations of an art gallery voted the “Best in St Albert” three years in a row. Surprisingly, what happens in the gallery or at the framing design counter does solve some trying problems for people. Walking them through the design process with care instills a confidence in their power to choose the perfect complement to a treasured piece of art. Time and space to browse through the gallery without pressure often leads to selecting a new painting, sculpture, or art glass addition for their home. Art Beat Gallery is a full-service gallery featuring an exceptional group of Western Canadian artists many of whom are local to the St Albert and Edmonton area, complete framing services, in-home or office consultations, art placement and hanging, corporate gifting services, gift certificates, layaway plans, and “Try Before You Buy.” Art Beat gallery is also one of the primary destinations for the St Albert Art Walk. Art Walk takes place on the first Thursday evening of each summer month from May through Sep-tember and features artists and new art exhibits at eleven downtown locations. Sandra is a Certified Picture Framer and has served on theexecutive of the Canada West Chapter of the Professional Picture Framers Association for nine years. She is an executive member of the Downtown Business Association, member of the Chamber of Commerce, a Toastmaster, and a Charter member of the St Albert Progress Club, Ladies Chapter (SILKS). Sandra, Eric and the staff are committed to excellence. |
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The rules at Art Beat are simple: treat the customer as you would like to be treated; provide the best professional advice; satisfy the customers' art or framing needs; use only the best archival materials and practices; encourage people to browse in comfort, and; remember that children are people.
Sandra would be the first to admit that most people get into the Arts for the intrinsic value that it adds to their life. She has made many enduring friendships among customers and artists which speaks to the success of her ethical approach to business and service. Ask Sandra what matters in her business and she will say colour matters, design matters, preservation materials and techniques matter, you being part of the process matters, care and experience matter, and selection matters. Ask Sandra what matters in her life and she will say family and friends, a chance to live in faith, time to enjoy life and those children and grandchildren, and an opportunity to give something back to the community. Come to Art Beat Gallery and enjoy the gift of time to browse, and the space to enjoy a visually stimulating experience that will elevate your soul and ground your spirit. Art Beat Gallery, (780) 459-3679
26 St Anne Street St. Albert, AB T8N 1E9 www.artbeat.ab.ca artbeat@telusplanet.net Eric Outram is a freelance writer with a Bachelor of Applied Com-munication from the Professional Writing Program at Grant MacEwan College. |
