Over 40 years ago in Victoria, B.C., Stephen and Eunice
Lowe made a decision to open their very first art gallery. Originally located at the historic Empress Hotel,
the gallery specialized in original Asian fine art, with its hallmark being the contemporary Chinese
watercolour paintings created by Stephen Lowe himself. The business immediately began to thrive, and the
couple welcomed thousands of visitors from all over the world to their gallery.
Five years later, tragedy struck the Lowe family when Stephen passed away suddenly at the
age of 37, leaving behind both his young family and the gallery they had begun building. In 1979, the family
made the decision to continue his legacy when they moved to Calgary to open Alberta’s first Stephen Lowe Art
Gallery in the heart of downtown.
Lowe’s daughter Anna Lowe-Lam also made the move with her husband, Allen, and took on the role of artistic
director.
“Recognizing that the market was different from that of our gallery in Victoria, my husband and I changed the
mandate of the gallery to focus on contemporary Canadian artists from across the country,” she says. “Today,
three decades later, Stephen Lowe Art Gallery represents over 70 distinguished Canadian artists working in a
variety of mediums, including painting, mixed media, glass, ceramics, steel and stone sculpture.”
With their first Calgary location thriving, Lowe-Lam opened their second Calgary location to meet customer
demand.
“Our newest gallery, located in the rapidly growing suburbs of southwest Calgary, allows us to offer visitors
another option outside of the downtown core, making us even more accessible,” says Lowe-Lam. “Both galleries
maintain the same warm atmosphere, an impressive selection of Canadian fine art, and the highest standard for
customer service.”
Attributing much of their success to the relationships they’ve established over the years with their team of
consultants, featured artists and, of course, valued patrons and friends, the team at Stephen Lowe aims to
enrich one another’s lives.
“We know that our
patrons continue to come back time and time again because ultimately they
trust us,” says Lowe-Lam. “In fact, we are seeing a wave of the next generation — young adults whom we have
watched grow up over the years… who are now starting their own fine art collections.”
As for what exciting
exhibitions are to come at Stephen Lowe, Lowe-Lam says the gallery’s annual Christmas Show is a favourite
that runs this year until Dec. 23.
“Our galleries are filled with treasures great and small by all our artists. In what can be a hectic time,
our patrons and friends love to drop in for a relaxed visit, ‘see what’s new,’ enjoy some Christmas cheer and
goodies while checking off their Christmas lists. This year our featured artist is Richard Savoie, renowned
for his sparkling and light-infused winter-scapes of Old Montreal and more recently, downtown Calgary. These
new oil paintings by Savoie evoke a sense of nostalgia.”
As for the new year, visitors can look forward to an active and ever-evolving exhibition program, complete
with shows, artist demonstrations and new arrivals. As the gallery-in-residence for the prestigious Bow
Valley Club, club members and guests have yet another location in which to view an extensive array of fine
art, constantly changing with the influx of new arrivals.
“Art is not something you just hang on your wall or use to fill space,” says Lowe-Lam. “It is something you
experience on a daily basis.”
And as long as the Stephen Lowe Art Gallery continues to be run by Lowe-Lam and family, an artistic
experience is something that will be shared and enjoyed for many generations to come.
» stephenloweartgallery.ca •
Photo Courtesy: Stephen Lowe Art Gallery
