Knowing the art of the deal

RORY RICHARDS

If you've strolled around Yaletown lately, it's likely that you will have passed the Coastal Peoples Gallery. What you may not know is that this internationally regarded gallery is owned by Jewish community member Svetlana Fouks and her husband, Raymond. Recognized for representing British Columbia's master carvers, their business has earned a reputation for discovering the talented new generation of artists who push the boundaries of this historic art form.

Name: Svetlana Fouks.

Hebrew name: Orit.

My mother was born in: Russia.

My father was born in: Odessa, Ukraine.

I grew up in: Odessa. I moved here in 1975.

Ethnic background: Russian, Jewish.

Age: 37.

Kinder? Yes, I have a daughter who is 15 months.

So you're a working mom. How is that? It's challenging. But I like challenges.

Marital status? Married.

Do you do any volunteer work in the Jewish community? No, I don't have the time.

Ever been to Israel? Yes, in 1987.

Is it time to go back? No, I don't have a yearning.

Last time you were in shul? High Holidays.

Where did you go? Schara Tzedeck.

What do you think of the rabbi? He's good. There was that one before, the young one, he was a very good speaker.

Rabbi Baumol? Yes, I liked him a lot.

Occupation: Art dealer.

How long have you been doing this? 18 years.

How did you get started? I truly fell into it. I was going towards an advertising diploma at BCIT, but something just didn't feel right and I decided to leave before graduation. Then someone offered me a job in the art world. I discovered a passion for it and started to educate myself and it grew from there.

Your gallery specializes in native art. What drew you to that style of art? Native art gives a unique balance of culture and tradition. That is also what I know as a Jew. [It's about] the symbolism of their art and dedication to who they are and preservation of their lifestyle and art form. It resonates with me and is very rewarding.

How did you come to open your own gallery? It was the result of working for a former employer. I had a lot of ideas that I wanted to do for her and the gallery that she wasn't keen on and that encouraged me to go out on my own. She kind of pushed me out by prohibiting me to implement my own vision. Opening the gallery was a huge risk, but I always knew that one day I would have my own business.

And how did your husband fit in? Did he come later? No, he has been there from the beginning – we have been together 18 years. I pitched the idea to him and the reasons why I thought it was important and eventually he said, "OK, let's do it!" I'm making it sound so much simpler than it actually was!

You were one of the first merchants in Yaletown. How have you seen that business community change? When we decided to open the gallery, I knew that I wanted it to be in Yaletown. I just always loved it here. I am the former president of the Yaletown Business Association and I can tell you that the community has flourished 200 per cent. What I love about it is that it doesn't have a tourist atmosphere, it's a community feel. We also live in Yaletown, so it simplifies our life. Yaletown is very close to my heart and I'm very dedicated to the area.

Do you own the building you are in? No, unfortunately. I'd love to.

Pen and paper or Blackberry? Pen and paper.

How many voicemails a day do you get? Five.

How many e-mails a day do you get? 30.

What book are you reading right now? No time!

Any famous clients? Pierce Brosnan (wonderful guy). Robin Williams. Richard Thomas.

Richard Thomas? He was John Boy.

How did they find you? Does Robin Williams just walk into your store? Not exactly. We connect closely with concierges in town and they send them to us.

How many people work for you? We have two staff.

What's the most expensive piece you have right now? A $56,000 Salish house post.

Is there an art to dealing with artists? You have to be open-minded, fair, firm and do your research. When you have all those factors, they form a way of dealing with all artists, no matter where they are from. It's a fine line as an art dealer to deal with all the personalities.

Can you recall your most important sale? What really inspires me is when a client comes in and trusts me to build their collection for them and we have a long-term relationship. I have a client in Germany with a 90-room castle that I've worked with to build his collection for years.

What do hard times in the art business look like? When the Canadian dollar is high and we see fewer U.S. buyers, that's an issue. Or, generally, when tourism is lower.

Do you have competitors in town? Yes, it is a competitive business. But not necessarily directly competitive, because the galleries here specialize in different things. For instance, we have a very large jewelry collection that no other galleries do. We have a strong wedding business that flows from that and we also work exclusively with some artists.

What's the toughest lesson you've had to learn in business? Trust my gut.

Describe the theory you use in business in a sentence: Always be positive.

As a Jewish woman living in Vancouver, what do you think is the biggest problem facing the Jewish community? There is a lack of togetherness and community. [There's] not as much as other places.

What about the biggest problem facing the Jewish people as a nation? There is a lot of negativity towards Israel and that brings a lot of misconceptions about being Jewish and they need to be dispelled.

Do you have a mezuzah on your business door? On my back door, yes.

What role does Judaism play in your life? It's part of who I am. I'm quite secular, but it's important to celebrate the most important holidays and [it's] important to impart to my daughter, Lily.

What makes you most proud to be Jewish? The sense of tradition and family and upbringing I received as a result of being Jewish says a lot.

Rory Richards is a partner in the PR and event planning firm Richards and Chan, www.richardsandchan.com.

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