Picasso once said, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” For Jay Belmore, the director of Muse Gallery, Picasso’s sentiment has gone a long way in informing his daily practice. Jay tells his clients, “Buy art for how it makes you feel and not as an investment.”
A painter himself, Jay opened Muse Gallery in 2005 to promote abstract non-representational Canadian art. The gallery primarily exhibits fine art paintings and sculptures by both established and emerging artists. Jay’s own artistic background has been integral to developing strong, trusting relationships with the various artists showcased. “I have a great deal of compassion for other artists from being one myself. I don’t consider myself a businessman. I just consider myself an artist that happens to own a gallery,” he says.