The Ocean Arts and Entertainment Magazine March 1997
It’s a long, long walk down from Antique Row and the traffic generated by Victoria’s reputation as a tourist destination, but in some respects, Gunter Heinrich prefers it that way. Expressing distaste for the mass produced, “limited edition print” that proliferates in the “tourist galleries” downtown, the Winchester Galleries caters to a different crowd.
A native of Vancouver Island, Gunter Heinrich started out in his family’s wholesale nursery business. Heinrich notes that he has been a serious art collector for the past eighteen years and during this time he found that in order to get high caliber, original, Canadian art he always had to travel to Vancouver and beyond.
Three years ago, Heinrich and co-owner R. H. Sam bought the fifteen year old Winchester Galleries. Since then the two have succeeded in maintaining the Winchester’s reputation in the local collecting community for dealing only in quality, original art. According to Heinrich, the Winchester is now home to the largest stable of well known, Canadian artists. They are the primary dealer for Tony Onley, as well showing the likes of Jack Shadboldt, Mary Pratt and Michael Morris among many others.
The Winchester Galleries consists of three levels. The main and mezzanine levels usually contain the main exhibition and are made up of a variety of different sized rooms ranging from the tiny to the expansive. This provides flexibility, interest and variety in the planning and display of whatever work happens to be up at the time.
The uppermost level is reserved for exhibitions of historical work which recently have included a ninety piece showing of Walter J. Phillips, the well-known Canadian landscape painter. Unlike some galleries which often exhibit shows for up to a month, the Winchester Galleries changes exhibitions ever two weeks. Heinrich feels this keeps the work from “getting stale” and maintains peoples interest in coming back to see what’s new.
Heinrich feels that the Winchester Galleries fills a definite gap in Victoria’s art scene. He tells the story of a client, as art collector originally from Montreal, who upon arriving in the Garden City by the Sea did a tour of the local galleries and was so appalled that she never went to another gallery for two years. It is this special group of people that the Winchester Galleries especially appeals to.
Many of the gallery’s clients are long time collectors, people with a love of art, some with international class collections that may never come to public light. Heinrich says there are several such collections in Victoria and it is their owners who are the main clientele of the Winchester Galleries. Heinrich adds however, that in addition to showing the established artists for established collectors, the gallery also makes a point of mounting exhibitions of new artists, whose work may be more appealing or affordable to the beginning collector.
From March 2nd to 20th, the featured exhibition will be paintings by artist, Duncan Regehr. In addition to his work as a visual arts, Mr. Regehr is the author of “Dragon’s Eye: An Artist’s View” published by Journey Editions. Others may recognise him from his work as a television and motion picture actor. Mr. Regehr plays the recurring role of “Shakaar”, the First Minister of Bajor on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday form 10am to 5:30 pm. Exhibition previews take place on Saturdays and shows open on Sunday. For more information call Winchester Galleries, 1545 Fort Street, (250) 595-2777.
Note: A picture of the painting called “The Apothecary’s Jar” (now called simply "The Apothecary") by Duncan Regehr accompanied the above article.