Who's Who Women in Business

18 who's who women in business t he woodlands are an ecosystem, made up of interdependent relationships of beauty, function, and meaning. The same could be said of Woodlands Gallery and the way manager Jenny DeLury nurtures relationships between artists, clients and spaces. "The beauty of art is that it's different for every person, so although we may all be staring at the same painting, we all have a different relationship with that painting," says DeLury, who holds an Honours Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art. "I love trying to match the art to the individual client, and knowing the artists personally and having a background in painting allows me to really describe what goes into each artist's work," she says. "I have seen clients brought to tears of joy when a painting brings back a fond memory of a time past or a loved one. It really is an incredible process from beginning to end." The boutique gallery is celebrating 10 years at its 535 Academy Rd. location with an open house on Oct. 15, 2015. It represents some 30 Canadian artists, many of whom enjoy national recognition. While the majority of the works are paintings, other pieces include jewelry, collage, and some sculpture. "With artists, we enjoy getting to know what makes them create in a certain medium or style and what inspires them," DeLury says. Spending time getting better acquainted with artists includes going out for coffee and conversation, getting together for dinner or, in the case of one Kenora artist, going boating during a visit to Lake of the Woods. "It's much more of a friendship," DeLury says. "Our small size affords us the opportunity to make those close relationships so the business runs on a more personal scale." DeLury, 37, takes the same care when a new client visits the gallery, even if they are just browsing. She or her part- time gallery assistant, Jamie Plummer, will ask them to look around and see what draws their interest. That way, they can bring out other pieces the guest might find appealing from the storage room. "We just want to get to know a little bit about them and then we can show them a little bit more. It's a sort of back and forth process." Clients are even encouraged to take home pieces on approval so they can be certain the work is going to bring meaning and enjoyment to their space. Running a business wasn't on DeLury's mind in 2000, when she was doing her thesis year at university. But when the opportunity arose to take over management of the Woodlands Gallery, she was open to the possibilities. As it turns out, she found her niche, and she's never looked back. "It's funny because running a gallery had never crossed my mind, but it ended up being such a great fit, and now it's my life." Fifteen years later, and now with a 17-month-old son, DeLury says Woodlands Gallery is like her second home. "I love coming here and being surrounded by amazing artwork and talent." • Inspiration Gallery { connecting artists and art loVers } By Wendy King Jenny DeLury, manager, Woodlands Gallery PHOTO By DARCy FINLEy

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