Behind the paintings

Sybil Frank Gallery appeals to a large range of tastes

Sybil Frank Gallery has been standing tall on the corner of West and Main Street in Wellington since 2016. Ever evolving, it started out as a one-room space, just over 200 square feet, and has constantly expanded to add more rooms and art. It’s a special gallery, but what makes it special isn’t necessarily the art that is displayed perfectly on its walls. It’s the gallery’s owner, Craig Alexander, who is able to captivate visitors with his charisma and knowledge, that makes it a must visit.

Named after Craig’s grandmothers, Sybil and Frances—who was always called Grandma Frank—the gallery’s art honours and emulates the memory of both these women. One, bold and daring, who could command attention just by walking into a room, and the other graceful, elegant and ethereal.

It’s safe to say that Craig carries a little of both of his grandmothers in his personality.

Craig has a passion for art. He changes the gallery layout and offerings every three to four weeks, and shows how every room tells a story. He curates by form, movement and colour. If something major comes out, nothing else works, and everything comes down.

“Everything works with this piece,” says Craig as he points to a bright and powerful abstract painting. “If this piece—which is the anchor piece—sold, with my OCD, I can’t just hang up another painting. To me it’s cheating. Everything has a cohesive story. Every colour bleeds into another.”

Some visual changes have been made to the space as well. The gallery was always stark white, which Craig says led to people coming in, looking quickly and leaving, Now, Craig has added some colour to warm it up and make it more inviting.

“People find art galleries intimidating. There is nothing intimidating about this gallery,” says Craig.

“Now people can envision what a piece might look like in their own space at home.”

Craig points to a bright painting on a feature wall.

“Every colour in this room, is in this piece. Look at her hat. Every colour in her hat is in this piece with tulips. And this piece in your periphery ties into it as well. Everything is intentional,” he says.

The art in the gallery appeals to a broad range of tastes. There are pieces that are $8,000, but there are a ton that are $300 or $400. The gallery consigns for roughly 30 artists, one of which is Spencer Reinhard, who gained some fame from the Transylvania University book heist.

The Transy book heist was the theft of rare books valued at more than $5.7 million from the library of Transylvania University in December of 2004. Reinhard, a key accomplice in the heist, spent 87 months in prison after being found guilty of committing six felonies. The story was recently documented in the feature film American Animals.

Reinhard currently lives in Columbia, and ships pieces of his work to Craig for display. Sybil Frank is the only gallery in the world that offers his work.

His prison stuff is really expensive,” says Craig. “He developed a certain type of transferring on a press in prison. It’s just fascinating.”

But, owning and operating a gallery in today’s climate isn’t for the faint of heart. Craig says he is doing anything he can trying to survive in an age where art galleries are closing.

“It used to be a gallery. Times have changed,” says Craig. “People are closing. People can’t afford to pay for things. You either close, or you adapt. I wanted to be an art gallery only, but if I wanted to do that, I would have been another fatality. If I do great, amazing; if I don’t at least I tried.”

Which is exactly what he has done. For Craig, his gallery is all about the experience that visitors take away with them. This past summer, he also added antiques to his offerings, which has been a huge success.

“People were coming to Wellington for a day, spending money on food, but they wanted to bring something back with them. Now they can come here and buy a beautiful antique dish for under $50 or under $25. My whole demographic has changed,” he says, joking that it has also given him an excuse to be a hoarder.

“Obviously I can’t be flippant and say I don’t care about a sale, but if someone doesn’t buy, as long as they come and enjoy my space, that’s what matters to me,” he says.

There are antique dressers and sideboards, vintage oil cans turned into lamps, and even dishes, teacups and ‘grandma glass’. Craig encourages visitors to open drawers on items because there are items inside that all tell a story and have a place as well.

“No other gallery has anything like this,” says Craig, as we walk through a room filled with vintage items from 1840 to 1970. He explains a dealer told him he was undervaluing his antiques, but he says he is just making it attainable.

“If I can pick up an antique very cheaply at an auction, I pass that on. I don’t do market value,” he says, holding an alarm clock from 1910, that resembles a bomb.

“People believe in this. And they are so excited about coming and seeing this.”

The antique portion of the gallery has also formed a partnership with local antique dealer Rust.

“I carry Rust, especially in the winter when they are closed. It gives them an opportunity to stay open all year and they are just wonderful to me. They are the kindest people. Amazing human beings.” says Craig, speaking of Joe and April Snider.

And for Craig, that’s what his gallery is about—community.

“There was a kid who came in with $10, and wanted to buy a present for his mom. We found a vintage piece, and I put it in a bag and wrapped it for him and he just lit up.”

Craig is forever thinking of ways to be ahead of the changing world. This summer he is hoping to offer Plein Air—the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view. He also hopes to expand outside into an outdoor space with vintage lawn furniture. But for him, it’s still a passion for art and his space that brings him back each day.

“I feel badly when my artists don’t sell. It’s not just about the money. Every artist puts their heart and soul into every single piece and as a gallery owner, I am responsible for that piece of them.”

To learn more, visit sybilfrankgallery.com.