Today we’d like to introduce you to Keith Sweat.
Keith, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Beginning his framing and gallery career at 15 years old, Keith Sweat was introduced at a very early and formative age how important good framing is too beautiful art, collectibles, and important documents. Within 4 years Keith was managing his own frame shop when his company expanded to a second location. After 7 years in the framing and gallery business, Keith moved onto the interior design world by apprenticing under two different interior designers.
After attending Valdosta State College, majoring in Secondary Education in Business, Sweat started a new career in hotel management. Even as a young hotel manager, he realized the importance of promoting fresh new art from emerging artist.
At 22 years old, I started showcasing local area artist in the lobby of his hotel. Within 3 years, I accepted my first General Manager position in Athens, GA. Being involved from the ground up construction, I was a part of the entire interior design and art selection process for the newly built hotel. This began a 15-year career in running hotels until moving back to Georgia. Shortly thereafter, the 9-11 tragedy hits and corporate travel stopped and the hotel industry suffered greatly. Having grown up working in a frame shop/gallery, I walked into a frame shop right down the street from my new home and volunteered to work free, just to have something to do. The owners told me of their intentions of selling the shop and my new life take off from there.
The deal was sealed in January 2002. Immediately I started renovating the space to showcase new contemporary artist from all over the state. Ever since that first year, I’ve enjoyed custom framing collectible and keepsakes, showcasing some of the newest and freshest art to be shown in the area and volunteering my time to several non-profit events.
Now, located on the beautiful and historic square of McDonough, my high-energy, “about town” persona is right at home. Following a decline in recent years due to our economic downturn, the business is growing and reshaping itself to the needs and demands of a new Henry County resident. As chairman of the Main Street Board that operates the downtown business district on behalf of the City of McDonough, we are working tirelessly to bring multi-generational, multi-cultural, multi-lifestyles, in an effort to expand our community in many more ways than just population. Georgian Gallery, which is adding a contemporary gallery back to its new business model this fall, is staying in-step with this vibrant trend.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Purchasing and starting a new business model unfamiliar to the local market a few months after 9-11 was not the easiest task. I was told many times that a contemporary art gallery will not make it. Not only did it make it, Georgian Gallery moved more art for several artists than they sold collectively everywhere else. BUT, then the mortgage crisis hit our community especially hard since the #1 industry was residential growth.
I ended up downsizing the business and moving in with Image Doctor Photo restoration to co-op space, which helped us both survive the economic downturn. Now we are both expanding and changing our business model to enhance all the new vision coming to the downtown area.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We specialize in custom picture framing. I also offer various levels of interior consulting for residential and commercial spaces. This fall we will return to the contemporary art business by installing a new gallery. This trend is fitting the new business vibe in our downtown business district of McDonough.
I have increased my customer base by 400% since acquiring the business January 2002. I believe it is all because of relationship building. I do not claim to offer anything different from another frame shop or interior designer, but I work hard providing fresh designs for my clients, offering something unique they may not find with other suppliers of my same business(s). I believe in being honest and providing product and services that fit within my capabilities. If I can not deliver, I apologize and step back so that the client(s) may achieve what they desire in the end.
For my artist (my internal clients), I create a unique space that is not distracting but displays in a manner that allows the art to speak to a potential buyer. Events are centered/themed around their personas and talent. I love offering wine tastings on a monthly basis, using a sommelier that may take us on a journey of discovery by offering pairings with the art that is presently hanging in the gallery. On a quarterly basis, we will have installation parties, celebrating with a new artist and their creations. I look forward to bringing this energy to our historic square.
What were you like growing up?
I thought, growing up, that I was somewhat quiet and “under the radar”, but my childhood friends and classmates scoff at this notion. As a young adult, I became very confident in who I was as a person and, therefore, went into every situation feet first, just like I came into this world. Speaking of my mother, she raised me as a single parent and instilled in me a sense of high integrity, character and work ethic. She was amazing providing me everything I wanted and managing her career “like a BOSS”.
I started working at 15 years old in a frame shop gallery. While most of my classmates were flipping burgers, bagging groceries, and pumping gas, I was being groomed for a career totally off my radar. After college, I started my hotel career and never thought anything about picture framing until that hotel career ended because of 9-11.
Since high school, I have enjoyed theater, singing, and marching band. I have continued that interested post-college by teaching/judging high school bands, singing on stage in my community theater and church band, and choreographing and directing stage productions.
My love for the arts is my new public campaign. I am working with various community organizations, as well as the City of McDonough, to establish our community as metro Atlanta’s newest cultural hub.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10 Macon Street McDonough GA 30253
- Website: www.ggallerycustomframing.com
- Phone: 678.583.122
- Email: keith@ggallerycustomframing.com
- Instagram: georgian_gallery
- Facebook: facebook.com/georgiangallery
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/georgian-gallery-custom-framing-mcdonough
- Other: Georgian Gallery Custom Framing
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
