One of Rocky’s Unknown Treasures Jerry Buley, Ph.D. Rocky Point Times, May 2008 , Vol. 18, No. 5.
Because of the nature of Rocky Point [Puerto Peñasco, Mexico] anyone who has ever been here knows of a hidden or little known special business (a small, but great restaurant, a wonderful hair stylist or an un-signed vegetable market - where was that place again?) that not many people know about. As a photographer/writer I’m always looking for such special places.
But the day I found Galeria Luis y Gaby, I wasn’t actually looking. Being very displeased with both the
quality and cost of framing in the U.S. I had begun a search for a framer here in Rocky Point. That’s how I came upon Galeria Luis Y Gaby. Well, partly at least. I was driving to the Malecon one evening and came upon a parade. Rather than to wait it out, I decided to go around the parade by turning up Zaragoza (at the intersection where the one-way streets begin as you drive toward the Malecon). The Galeria is on the right after Zaragoza bends around to head toward the Malecon. (Note: We have since moved to Alcantar # 16 - to have a larger store in a more convenient location. Please see the map). The doors were closed that evening as I drove by that first time, but I noted the store’s location and came back the next day to take a look around. What I found was a gem. Though it looks somewhat like a house on the outside, inside is a wonderful and surprisingly large gallery of colorful paintings and photography by acclaimed Mexican and American artists. Colorful is the operative word. Though the styles of the various artists are quite different, they have a dedication to increasing the color in our world. I knew this would be a paradise for designers wanting to bring the color and lifestyle of the region into a client’s home.
I walked slowly through the gallery pleased that I could appreciate the art without having to fend off a
high-pressure sales person. It was clear this was not one of those galleries that sells production-line art. Each piece was original and creative and stood on its own. Why is it that so many supposed galleries have the same sofa art with the same old tired content? You won’t see that at the Galeria.
It wasn’t just the quality of the artworks themselves. I noticed immediately the quality of the framing
was supurb. Two things struck me as I walked from piece to piece (and forgive me this bit of technicality – after all, I’m a photographer who wants his pieces to be shown at their best). First, the corners on the gallery wrapped pieces were very precisely crafted. The framer (I now know him as Luis) didn’t just fold the canvas over and staple the ends at the back. Instead, skillfully using a razor blade, he cut the fold out and left only a perfectly flat corner. That blew me away. In the States they charge over $150 to stretch a 2’ x 3’ piece and then they leave an ugly fold on each corner. Second, I could see that the Galeria framer had carefully tapered the stretcher away from the canvas toward the middle so the frame would not show as you look at the picture. As someone who has had a lot of pictures gallery wraped, I can tell you that this attention to detail is amazing and highly desirable. Finally, I reached the back of the Galeria to find a a man bent over a table carefully dusting a canvas to be wrapped. He had an easy smile as he introduced himself as Luis. His English is quite good. I could tell he had spent some time in the U.S. I bet there is an interesting story there. We had talked for only a few minutes when I decided to bring all of my prints to him to be framed. I have never regretted it. His prices are much lower than those in the states. And, the quality of his work is consistently high.
So, that’s one of my “hidden secrets of Rocky Point.” What’s one of yours? Weren’t you telling
something about a bakery located in a house where you can watch the bakers making cookies, bread and small cakes?
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