An Art dealer
Fred Jourdain / Martin Parrot
Founded in Quebec City back in 2015, Les Trafiquants d'Art is a custom framing and printing shop that sells Fred’s art as well as artwork from other artists. In 2020, Fred decided to leave the business in order to fully concentrate on his work.
How did Les Trafiquants D’Art start??
The idea of having an art gallery has always appealed to me but I never wanted to be a store manager. That job requires you to be on site to make sure the business is running smoothly, for example maintenance and sales as well as representation. That’s why at the start of my career I decided to exhibit my work in bars and restaurants; it was the best way to get exposure without having to be on site.
Back then, I was doing a lot of exhibits and I took care of printing all of my images. It wasn’t too long until I decided to offer my customers the option of framing the images they bought from me. I worked with several framers but eventually, demand grew. The business side of things was very successful but with all the work, I barely had time to draw anymore.
One night, I asked one of my friends to help me frame some of my prints. And as we were going along, he was asking me questions about the framing side of the business, who my suppliers were, the equipment, etc. And so the idea to open our own frame and print shop slowly grew from there.
For months, we looked at everything we needed to make the project happen, including finding a space. I absolutely wanted the business to see the light of day in Limoilou on 3rd Ave. And two years later, we did just that.
Looking back, I’m proud of this project. We helped lots of local artists and people from the neighbourhood got on board. I came up with the design of the store and I wanted the space to be inviting and friendly. Kind of an extension of my art studio.
XNUMX years after Les Trafiquants d'Art opened, I decided to leave the business. I had big plans for the gallery but I would have needed to invest even more time and money. Ultimately, the time had come for me to move on and concentrate on my art. Creation is what gets me going and so I left the business with a sense of having accomplished something. And, of course, you can still buy my work there! It is above all creation that drives me. To create, but also to travel… to roam. I leave with the feeling of accomplishment. It was a great adventure and know that it is always possible to get my works there!
It is above all creation that drives me. To create, but also to travel… to roam. I leave with the feeling of accomplishment.
PHOTO CREDITS
Anthony Jourdain, Catherine Côté, Fred Jourdain, Martin Poulin, Martin Côté
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Ó The contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the consent of the author
An Art dealer
Fred Jourdain / Martin Parrot
Founded in Quebec City back in 2015, Les Trafiquants d'Art is a custom framing and printing shop that sells Fred’s art as well as artwork from other artists. In 2020, Fred decided to leave the business in order to fully concentrate on his work.
How did Les Trafiquants D’Art start??
The desire to have a gallery to sell my work there has always been there, but I didn't want to become a store manager. You have to be on site to ensure business maintenance, sales and representation. It is for this reason that I opted instead to exhibit my work in bars and cafes initially. It was ideal for showing my work to as many people as possible without having to be there.
Back then, I was doing a lot of exhibits and I took care of printing all of my images. It wasn’t too long until I decided to offer my customers the option of framing the images they bought from me. I worked with several framers but eventually, demand grew. The business side of things was very successful but with all the work, I barely had time to draw anymore.
One night, I asked one of my friends to help me frame some of my prints. And as we were going along, he was asking me questions about the framing side of the business, who my suppliers were, the equipment, etc. And so the idea to open our own frame and print shop slowly grew from there.
For months, we looked at everything we needed to make the project happen, including finding a space. I absolutely wanted the business to see the light of day in Limoilou on 3rd Ave. And two years later, we did just that.
Looking back, I’m proud of this project. We helped lots of local artists and people from the neighbourhood got on board. I came up with the design of the store and I wanted the space to be inviting and friendly. Kind of an extension of my art studio.
3 years later, in the spring of 2020, I made the decision to leave. I had plans for the future for the company, but I still would have had to invest a lot. The time has come for me to refocus my attention on my art.
It is above all creation that drives me. To create, but also to travel… to roam. I leave with the feeling of accomplishment.
PHOTO CREDITS
Anthony Jourdain, Catherine Côté, Fred Jourdain, Martin Poulin, Martin Côté
Share this article
Ó The contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the consent of the author