Windsor Gallery is one of Christchurch's longest-standing art businesses, with a gallery and picture framing history in the city stretching back more than 100 years. Much of that story was written on High Street, but city changes have led the gallery to a brand-new inner-city home at 386 St Asaph Street, just east of Fitzgerald Avenue — a contemporary space with the rare central-city luxury of easy off-street parking.
Inside, a dedicated framing consultation area leads through to a bright, modern gallery space. The gallery specialises in modern original artworks and quality New Zealand and international prints and photographs: striking portraiture, nostalgic and incandescent landscapes, and sculptures in bronze, clay, Oamaru stone, stainless steel, glass and marble. Exhibiting artists range from emerging to established and acclaimed, working in oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media, charcoal, pencil, photography, ink and pastels. The artwork on display changes frequently, artist exhibitions run through the year, and a wide range of quality giclee prints is on hand — the team will often track down particular print requests for clients.
Custom picture framing is where the workshop's long craft tradition shows. Experienced framers take time with every customer, domestic or corporate, choosing bespoke framing from an extensive range of options, with glass running from standard through to reflection-free and UV protection that safeguards an investment against the ravages of time. A large workshop handles substantial corporate work alongside everyday domestic framing.
Owners Philip and Tracey lead a committed team of framers and exhibiting artists, guided by plainly stated values: people first, customer happiness through quality, welcoming and genuine service with no pressure to buy, innovation with purpose, and sustainability with local supply.
Few Christchurch businesses can claim the history Windsor Gallery can. The gallery and picture framing business has been part of the city for more than 100 years, a story that transcends generations. Much of it was written on High Street, but city changes prompted a move to a brand-new inner-city location at 386 St Asaph Street, just east of Fitzgerald Avenue. The new space pairs a contemporary look with something rare in the central city: easy off-street parking right at the door.
Step past the framing consultation area and you arrive at a bright, modern gallery filled with striking portraiture, nostalgic and incandescent landscapes, and beautiful sculptures. Windsor Gallery specialises in modern original artworks alongside quality New Zealand and international prints and photographs. The team counts itself lucky to live in a country with exceptional beauty for artists to recreate into stunning pieces of contemporary art — and much of what hangs on the walls reflects exactly that.
The artists exhibiting range from emerging talent to established, acclaimed names from around New Zealand. They work across a wide spread of mediums: oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings, mixed media, charcoal, pencil, photography, ink and pastels. Sculptures appear in bronze, clay, Oamaru stone, stainless steel, glass and marble. The artwork on display changes frequently, and the gallery hosts artist exhibitions throughout the year — the newsletter is the easiest way to hear about what is coming next.
If an original is not on the cards, the gallery carries a wide range of quality giclee prints, and staff often source particular print requests for clients.
Custom picture framing is the other half of the story, and it gets a dedicated consultation area serving both domestic and corporate clients. The experienced framers spend real time with customers, working through a multitudinous range of framing options to find a combination that accents each piece to perfection. Glass choices run from standard glass through to reflection-free and UV-protective options that safeguard an investment against the ravages of time.
The ambition, the team says, is simple: every customer leaves happy with the work — and stays happy every time they look at it. Behind the scenes, a large workshop handles substantial corporate framing for large clients as well as everyday domestic jobs.
Owners Philip and Tracey lead a committed team of framers and exhibiting artists, and the gallery states its core values plainly: people first; customer happiness through quality, delivered on time, every time; welcoming and genuine service where no one is ever pressured into a sale; innovation with purpose; and sustainability with local supply. Environmentally friendly framing is part of that picture too.
Windsor Gallery opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 1pm on Saturday, closed Sundays. Come in for all your framing needs, or simply to look around the contemporary gallery. You will find it at 386 St Asaph Street, Christchurch, with off-street parking — or reach the team on (03) 366 0724 or [email protected].