Over the last several years, I have ended up in Edmonton on business on many occasions. And…read morealthough Downtown Edmonton is still a work in progress, I always make it a point to make the trip in (usally from Sherwood Park) to visit and shop (for mostly gifts) at the gallery at the Alberta Craft Council. I have never been disappointed with this place and I certainly can't blame them for the more recent lousy exchange rates. The space is well designed to showcase various artists and their various media and the staff are very good advocates of who they represent (mostly Prairies and BC artists). I usually linger for at least an hour and have never left without buying something and being impressed on the quality, value, and variety. My friends and family back home have always appreciated these unique gifts.

If you've never been to the Alberta Craft Gallery, you don't know what you're missing. The gallery…read morehouses hundreds of pieces of beautiful art, all handcrafted by Canadian artists. Whether you prefer glass art or ceramics and pottery, wood or textiles, they have the artists that do all that here. All the pieces come with labels of the artist and where they're from in Canada. Everything is just absolutely stunning to look at; there are so many vivid colours. They have jewelry as well, all original designs, all exceptionally beautiful. I know I keep saying it's all wonderful, but no matter how many times I say it, it won't do justice to this art. They have a lower gallery where they are currently featuring artists Brian McArthur and Darren Petersen, ceramics and glass art, respectively. It's a really neat exhibit, if you want to see flying beavers and glass trout. The gallery offers some great ideas for gifts, even if you're not an art-collector. I'm definitely going to be back for the next exhibit in January. It's places like this that make me proud of the talent we have here in Canada.

First time at the gallery/studio & I absolutely could of spent a lot of money on neat gifts and…read moremore art for my walls. I restrained myself as I'm waiting to access my new living space and don't need more art sadly sitting in the dark of storage. However, I did stock up on cards that have her artwork on them (there's a deal if you buy 5) to brighten up the day for some friends and family. The gallery is located in the professional building and the entrance is accessible but the gallery itself might be tight in some spots if one has a wheelchair or even a walker. However, if there's something of interest, I'm sure Lorraine would be happy to bring items closer to a person as she's very personable and the whole time I m was there we were chatting about her gallery and the different items other artists have there. Literally a great mix of gift options as there's prints, pottery, jewellery, sculptures, cards, cloth items and even buttons with art designs. I was originally connected with Lorraine through my cousin. Like many of us, I wanted to do something to help those in Ukraine but make sure it was going somewhere useful. So what better way help by going through someone that is already connected to the country and doing a fundraiser. Lorraine has certain art that she's selling at various sizes on canvas for indoors or on another material for withstanding outdoors. She showed me what she printed for another customer to hang outside, and I was actually sad that I don't have a massive backyard to decorate (as it was simply beautiful!). I selected the canvas sunflower art with colourful fields in the background (sorry no photo of it until it's hanging on my wall in my new place!) but there's several options that she's offering for this fundraiser. It's not limited, so reach out to her if your interested in finding out more. She's really great at responding on Facebook and she has some flexibility with her hours at the gallery if the posted hours don't work and you want to schedule a specific time to meet her. Honestly, I recommend to stop by and take a look around. I now have this gallery on my list to take my family when they want to do a mini Edmonton trip to look at art or find unique Canadian gifts to send overseas.

Recently I was looking for some paintings for my house after some renovations. I was interested in…read moresome of the artists on their website, so I decided to stop by the gallery. That was the start of a wonderful relationship with the gallery owner. She has shown me all sorts of paintings from gallery artists and has delivered the paintings and done the installations in my home. The paintings are fabulous and my home looks beautiful. The owner has spent time teaching me about composition and given me insights into the works of art and the artists. For anyone that wants beautiful and unique works of art for their home, I would highly recommend stopping by and visiting Scott Gallery. If I could give them 10 stars, I would!!

The Scott Gallery is located right by the Bearclaw Gallery, featuring contemporary Canadian art…read more Like all good galleries, it has plenty of open space and bright lighting, but not fluorescent ones to blind you. The lady who greeted me was warm and informative, telling me about the current exhibit (she reminded me of Maggie Gyllenhaal, oddly enough, but that's beside the point). The current exhibit is by Canadian artist Yuriko Kitamura, and consists mainly of mixed media on rice paper. It's really different from what I've seen in other galleries. Another choice gallery for art collectors.

Great place to meander Some interesting pieces…read moreSome not so interesting Nice location Super nice staff Art work on sale and for rent... lots to choose from Reasonably priced Fun couple of hours Interactive stuff for kids Would recommend

Took a friend to make a brooch! Had images of Madeleine Albright and her famous brooches. Instead…read morea great staffer introduced us to felting that he learned from his Nana. And by teaching us, it's a way to honour her. What a great grandson! The instructions were straightforward and it was fun stabbing wool! A great new hobby that is accessible and a traditional needle craft. Sign up for their Thursday evening classes and bond w a friend, spouse or parent. Or go on your own. The company is great and the conversation was broad ranging! Will definitely return for more!

We purchased a lovely Fraser Brinsmead a while back. Due to some unfortunate damage recently, we…read morecontacted the gallery for advice. Lana and her staff were wonderful. They contacted Mr Brinsmead and he graciously agreed to repair the artwork for us. He did a fabulous job. We are so grateful for the gallery's excellent customer service and for the kindness of Mr Brinsmead.

From the owner: Since 1975, West End Gallery has been an essential part of the Western Canada art scene. Its…read morefounders, Dan and Lana Hudon, opened the gallery in Edmonton, AB, and quickly gained recognition for their commitment to quality and expert curation. In 1994, the gallery expanded to a second location in Victoria, BC, and has since built a reputation for exceptional service and high-quality artwork. Today, Matthew (Son) and his wife Jennifer continue this legacy as the new owners, committed to carrying on the dream that began over 47 years ago. West End Gallery has received numerous accolades, including recognition from The Edmonton Journal as the Best Gallery in Edmonton and The Times Colonist as the Best Gallery in Victoria. The gallery values its relationships with clients and strives to provide a pleasant and memorable experience every time they interact with them. The gallery's dedication to quality extends to its website, which offers a seamless online experience for art lovers worldwide

Agnes Bugera is a big name in the local art community, as she's the mastermind behind galleries…read moresuch as the Bearclaw and Gallery on Whyte. The Agnes Bugera Gallery houses more Canadian contemporary art, in paintings and sculptures. There are many works on display despite its average size for a gallery, although it's far from being cluttered and disorganized. A suggested staple stop for art collectors, if you're into contemporary art.

I met Allan at the Whyte Avenue Art Walk in the summer of 2011. I loved his style, and purchased…read moresome prints while I was there. Shortly after the Art Walk, I contacted Allan via e-mail to commission a painting for my fiancé. He agreed to take on the project, with an estimated completion date of sometime in October 2011, and things ran smoothly until the end of September. At that time I stopped receiving responses to my e-mails. Allan hadn't given me an alternate means of contacting him, and save for a short message I received at the end of November, there was no communication from his end at all. This frustrated me, and I gave up on the idea that I'd be able to acquire an original painting. In the summer of 2012 I returned to the Art Walk, and met up with Allan there once again. He was very apologetic about the electronic issues (we still don't know why e-mail doesn't seem to work for us, both of our workplaces' e-mail providers have undergone changes since the issues started). Allan assured me that he was interested in going through with the commissioned painting, and even gave me a free print for the trouble. The new completion date was set in December. I got his phone number this time (!!) and we met up to discuss the project. Throughout the planning process, Allan was reliable, accommodating, and easy to talk to. I received the painting last week, and it looks amazing! (I hope my fiancé likes it too.) When I received the piece, Allan took the time to go through basic maintenance and such with me, and even told me not to hesitate to contact him should I have questions, or should something go wrong with the painting. To top it off, Allan was kind enough to charge me for the painting what he charged in 2011 (his prices have since increased). Overall, Allan went above and beyond what I expected and I am very happy to own some of his art!

This is the first gallery I've seen in Edmonton that sells fine First Nations art (maybe the only…read moreone?). It's an authentic art gallery, so you won't find items like tacky dreamcatchers and mini-totem poles as you would at stereotypical tourist shops. The Bearclaw Gallery has the real stuff, some of which rivals the fine art in BC, where there is a huge Aboriginal art market. Since coming back from Vancouver, I hadn't seen any soapstone carvings until today when I stumbled upon the Bearclaw. (Soapstone is basically a rock material used in art carving, and typically has green to brown hues depending on its mineral content; it's very common among Inuit art.) They carry quality art by Aboriginal and Inuit artists, including paintings, silkscreen prints, sculptures, and soapstone and antler-bone carvings. I was surprised to see a strong Northwest Coast influence here; there are lots of wooden carved masks. They even have authentic hand-carved silver jewelry here! (If you've never seen one of these, you have to visit the gallery to at least look at them; they're unlike any jewelry you've ever seen before, and that's an understatement.) The prairies First Nations art tended to be more dominant in the paintings and prints. Famous artists include Norval Morriseau and Daphne Odjig. They have smaller items too, like beautifully beaded jewelry and accessories, moccasins, and dreamcatchers. These dreamcatchers are unlike any you've seen though; they're huge and authentic, not mass-produced somewhere in China. Although there's not quite a market for Aboriginal art here in Edmonton yet, I think it's great that the Bearclaw Gallery is here. If you're an avid art collector, this place is a must-see.

My friend and I grabbed a coffee and did our own little art walk on 124th street. The Bearclaw…read moreGallery was the third gallery we went to and for me the most impressionable! The art is stunning. There is a variety of sculptures, carvings, paintings, prints and jewelry all influenced by aboriginal culture. I love the stories that each piece of art had - lots of meaning and significance that always draws me in. The colors are brilliant. The cost can range anywhere from $10 to thousands of dollars depending on what your tastes are. I was able to snag a few prints by Maxine Noel that I absolutely love. She is a Canadian First Nations artist who is self taught. Her paintings come to life with the use of lines, color and symbolism. I must say they look great on my wall. The staff were super friendly and knowledgeable and were passionate about the art. I highly recommend stopping in for a look. You may walk away with a treasure.