Ambience Gallery and Frames
Ambience Gallery and Frames was established May 20, 1989 by Lorne Zarazun, CPF to provide a range of artwork, giftware and full service professional picture framing for the residents of Revelstoke, British Columbia.
Revelstoke’s location near two of Canada’s National Parks, the four season back country attractions of hiking and skiing, and it’s history associated with the Canadian Pacific Railway attract a significant volume of visitor traffic. Giftware and art images displayed were selected to appeal to both local residents and visitors.
Ambience Gallery and Frames first location was at 207 Mackenzie Avenue (downtown Revelstoke) in a heritage building. In September 2007, the business moved to418 Second Street West, 4 blocks from the previous location.
From 1989 to 2004 Ambience Gallery had a successful dealership with many small Canadian art publishers as well as with The Greenwich Workshop and Mill Pond Press, two of the largest fine art publishers in North America. Many images by their well established artists such as Bev Doolittle, James C. Christensen, Stephen Lyman, Carl Brenders and Robert Bateman made up Ambience Gallery’s inventory.
In 1995 Ambience Gallery became the Revelstoke dealer for BC’s Banman Publishing, publisher of BC artist Max Jacquiard limited edition train prints on high quality paper and giclee canvas.
Ambience Gallery stocked a variety of open edition fine art prints and posters by Canadian and International artists and photographers. Work, including a few originals, by local, regional and BC artists were included as part of the inventory mix.
Giftware inventory was crafted in Canada, much by BC artisans.
As owner of Ambience Gallery and Frames right from the beginning in May 1989 Lorne Zarazun was passionately determined to offer quality custom framing to the high professional ethical standard expected of a member of the Professional Picture Framers Association.
Training began by attending the Canadian Picture Framers School in April 1989 followed by many workshops and seminars conducted by internationally renowned instructors in the picture framing industry such as Vivian Kistler MCPF,GCF, Brian Wolf CPF,GCF, John Ranes, MCPF,GCF and Jim Miller, MCPF,GCF.
After much study and over 1000 custom framing orders, in September 1992 Lorne wrote his Professional Picture Framers exam and achieved his CPF (Certified Picture Framer) designation.
Professional development continued regularly since then with Recertification, more seminars, training sessions and online webinars to keep abreast of technological advances in image reproduction, papers, etc. and the improvements in materials and methods to preserve and protect the items customers bring to be framed.
In June 2011, the retail gallery space was closed and transition to a wholly home based online gallery began in July 2011 and continues.
The custom framing component of the enterprise is currently offered by appointment.