Today we’d like to introduce you to Roy Saper.
Hi Roy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I collected art as a teen and bought art at art auctions and galleries soon after becoming a student at Michigan State because I admired and loved having beautiful and outstanding creations by amazing artists. In 1978, soon after finishing my studies at MSU, I created 20th Century Fine Arts out of my home at 429 Bailey Street in East Lansing.
I conducted a survey of well known public figures in the area asking them of who their favorite artists were and then proceeded to purchase original artworks by those artists. Those artworks by Dali, Chagall, Picasso and others became the base of the original collection that I displayed. The home-based gallery was operated on an appointment basis where people would visit and select what they wanted for their homes and offices. I added framing services after I tested local framers and was unsatisfied with their quality — so every day people would visit for art and framing services.
By the mid-1980s I realized I needed much more help and a larger space. In 1985 I purchased a vacant corner lot in downtown East Lansing (which cost me three times what I paid for my home), interviewed architects, and by that fall (exactly 40 years ago) started construction of the present 6,000 square foot SAPER GALLERIES and Custom Framing building at 433 Albert Avenue, opening art festival weekend in May 1986.
I recall people coming in, seemingly amazed that I would invest so much in creating a big city-like gallery in East Lansing where they knew it was destined to fail.
When I started, we served mostly those who lived in the Mid-Michigan area and business large and small. Art in many local businesses and homes throughout Mid-Michigan came from SAPER GALLERIES. Since the internet, the floodgates opened and we have since been providing art to collectors throughout the world.
We have on display between 1,500 and 2,000 original works of art of all media: paintings, limited edition prints, drawings, sculpture, hand-blown glass, wooden boxes for collections and keepsakes, mobiles, ceramics, and bas-reliefs, among others. I select all the art that we own and display, in most cases right from the artist’s studio here in America and from around the globe including countries where we do not share the same speaking language, but do share the visual language of the art they create. Today we have art from about 20 countries, some who never had shown before in the U.S.. We also show artwork by about a dozen Michigan artists.
My focus has always been on quality, excellence in service, and a true dedication to the interests of every person we serve. If it is art-related we do it — from commissioning artists to create artworks for specific spaces including public art sculptures and for massive buildings, to providing exactly what people may want for their home. We always provide more than one may expect and a level of service that exceeds expectations, striving for perfection in all we do as that is what our clients expect and deserve.
When I started in the art business, I never imagined that we would be serving future generations of those we helped in the 1970s, but that is often the case!
I have acquired artwork to create dozens of significant exhibitions over the years that were a great success by virtue of the volume of people who have visited us to see exhibitions. The Dr. Seuss exhibition of his art and life brought a phenomenal crowd to the gallery daily where we stopped counting after 20,000 people came through. The Peter Max exhibition also attracted thousands of visitors who also had the opportunity to meet the artist. The Rembrandt-Picasso exhibition was the most scholarly as I displayed Rembrandt etchings adjacent to Picassos that were clearly inspired by the Rembrandts. John James Audubon, Russell Chatham, Norman Rockwell are among other artists for whom I created significant and unique exhibitions.
We still provide free art searches so that whatever someone might want, we will provide. Our framing department may be the longest serving professional picture framer in the area, having completed tens of thousands of projects for individuals and businesses who rely on the best quality and service with assurance that we’ll never fail them.
SAPER GALLERIES and Custom Framing is open 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday for guests to explore and discover art they’ve never seen before. Many artworks are under $100 so the gallery truly services the entire community. The building is lit entirely by super large skylights (one 48 feet long), the walls are covered with an acoustical fabric and the space is fully carpeted so it looks and feels like a museum, but comfortable as home. More than 1,000 testimonials on the Saper Galleries website document client satisfaction with the SAPER GALLERIES level of customer service.
We are grateful to the thousands of clients for whom we’ve had the privilege of serving and we welcome those who haven’t visited to bring a friend and discover a world of art in downtown East Lansing that they will likely see as a hidden treasure to share with others. SAPER GALLERIES is open to everyone and is free always.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
All businesses have had struggles along the way. My greatest frustrations have been unrelated to the services we provide sourcing and selling art and providing framing services — but rather external factors. Vandalism, attempted and successful break ins, thefts, a shot out window, stolen landscaping, graffiti, glass bottles and other items thrown at the building and roof are some of the problems I’ve had to face operating a downtown East Lansing business. Maintaining the exterior of the building and grounds is a never-ending challenge due to the night time activity of people intentionally causing harm. In recent years we have unfortunately felt the need to have cameras throughout our space inside and out to help protect our property and reduce such problems. Many times I’ve questioned why I continue to provide the services I do to the community while facing the challenge, expense, and frustration due to those who have harmed our building and property.
We’ve been impressed with SAPER GALLERIES and Custom Framing, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We provide art, framing and related service to clients throughout the world from our downtown East Lansing gallery. We may be the most responsive art gallery anywhere as we never say “no” and help clients with every request we receive, treating everyone with courtesy, kindness, and respect, giving them all the time necessary to solve and resolve whatever art-related interest they have.
Most businesses simply say “no” when asked for a service or item they don’t carry. “No’ is not in our vocabulary. If someone wants something, we’ll have it made. We’ll “deliver” what anyone wants — and ensure that we exceed their expectations with every project, as evidenced in the testimonials and reviews people have written. We are known for that quality, dedication, and commitment to excellence, in part because so few businesses operate with such dedication.
We operate with fairness to and high regard for the dedicated, professional SAPER GALLERIES team, art professionals who can be relied on for each project we provide to our clients. Our framing manager has been here more than 30 years so guests have consistency and reliability among those who assist and serve them. We do not have part time, beginner, temporary, intern, or student employees who are here today and gone tomorrow. The SAPER GALLERIES team is of professional, dedicated experts.
Every service we provide is guaranteed to be as expected and documented in writing.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
We stay abreast of the art market by attending and presenting at art and framing-related conventions and trade shows and participate in forums and exchanges with other professionals.
We have won numerous awards for our professional services, art exhibitions, early use of technology, gallery design and efficiencies, serving as a model for new galleries which have attempted to emulate some aspects of the SAPER GALLERIES operation.
Roy Saper shares with the public through numerous presentations to various groups, presentations in the gallery, narrated walking tours of gallery exhibitions, and in the past, teaching evening college classes at MSU and participating in the WKAR radio Ask About Art radio interview series.
I stay engaged in keeping up with art market activity and news daily.
Pricing:
- Regular framing pricing at SAPER GALLERIES is generally much less than discounted or coupon-applied pricing elsewhere!
- When artists increase their prices, SAPER GALLERIES maintains prior less expensive pricing of art that is already in their inventory.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sapergalleries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sapergalleries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sapergalleriesandcustomframing
- Twitter: https://x.com/sapergalleries
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/saper-galleries-and-custom-framing-east-lansing
- Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/saper-galleries-and-custom-framing-east-lansing
