Catherine discovered Cloud Gallery the same way a lot of their customers do, searching online for a new painting to hang at her cottage. After finding a painting she liked, she planned a time to stop in at the gallery in downtown Orillia on her way to the cottage.
Cloud Gallery’s innovative website is designed to give buyers like Catherine the ability to browse online before taking the time to visit the gallery in-person.
“Our visitors can search by size, colour, and style, and browse collections for all of the artists,” says Blake Fletcher, who co-owns the gallery with his father, Mark.
“When Catherine came in, we asked about her vision for her space and got an idea of her preferences,” says Mark.
This allowed the duo to focus on answering Catherine’s questions and offer suggestions on how to maximize the impact the piece would have in her space. As often happens, Catherine fell in love with two paintings, including a large 4- by 8-ft statement piece for above her sofa.
In addition to their innovative online presence, Mark and Blake pride themselves on offering a personalized buying experience. They offer fast delivery across Ontario and in some cases, like with Catherine, they will be there on delivery to personally install the paintings.
“The goal is always to ensure the client is absolutely thrilled with the art and the service we provide,” says Mark.
While buyers are invited to browse through Cloud Gallery’s large roster of artists online, Mark and Blake have made their in-person gallery, located in a 10,000-square ft heritage building in the heart of Orillia, well-worth the visit.
“The theme of the gallery is Ontario’s natural beauty. We have curated a collection that captures the diverse spirit of Ontario. Our paintings evoke memories of summer camp, trips to Algonquin Park, and warm days on the dock,” says Blake.
The father-son duo put together a roster of 30 artists from across the province, with styles ranging from realism to impressionism, geometric abstraction, and more.
“We’re very deliberate in how we select who we work with. We have selected Ontario’s best artists who celebrate the beauty around us,” says Mark.
With two floors of gallery space, Cloud Gallery displays over 80 paintings at a time, rotating to make space for new pieces from their full collection of 250 paintings every couple of weeks.
“The size of our collection hanging in our three gallery spaces has made us a destination gallery across cottage country and beyond,” Blake says. “Our main street location is five minutes off Highway 11. It’s easy to find with lots of parking.”
“Combine a visit to the gallery with a stroll through Orillia’s charming downtown and a reservation at one of the area’s best restaurants,” suggests Mark. “You won’t be disappointed.”
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
