It is with a profound sadness and an overwhelming sense of loss that we share Heather’s unexpected and sudden passing, from a brain aneurysm, in her beloved gallery on Monday. In Heather’s memory, Larry, her husband, and the entire gallery staff will remain and carry on with Heather’s tradition of representing some of Canada’s finest artists. By request, a wish for light filled thoughts to accompany Heather on her journey. Please no cards or flowers.
For 15 years, The Avenue Gallery has been in the midst of Oak Bay Village, attracting passersby with striking art works in its show window. This week, I dropped by for a visit with owner Heather Wheeler to talk about the past, present and future of one of Victoria’s premier galleries. Wheeler told me she grew up in a household where her mother was very creative, but Wheeler approached the world with a head for business. Beginning in the 1980s, she worked for Peter Dorazio, an entrepreneur who dominated the tourist shops on lower Government Street. At first, she was retail manager for his art shops:...
When it comes to the rationale for buying art, perhaps no one said it better than designer, socialite, author and art collector Gloria Vanderbilt: “Art brings a message into a room. It should make us perceive in a new way – either through colour, form or narrative content – something we had not perceived before … and perhaps reveal something to you about yourself.” Heather Wheeler, owner of The Avenue Gallery, does home consultations twice a week to give clients guidelines for their search, and her gallery allows clients to take pieces home for a few days on approval....
