Walking into Carré d’Artistes feels like you’re stepping back in time to High Fidelity’s fictional record store “Championship Vinyl.” There’s no John Cusack, and the records are one-of-a-kind works of art, but the quaint aesthetic’s exactly the same.
Welcome to Carré d’Artistes, an art gallery that’s anything but ordinary.
Located in Mizner Park, this gallery’s in the mecca of Boca cultural excellence. The exact address is 430 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL, 33432.
Boca News had the chance to speak with Eduardo Castañeda about how Carré d’Artistes is breaking the mold and glass ceiling in the Boca art world.
What is Carré d’Artistes?
Carré d’Artistes is an art gallery independently owned by Eduardo. They are part of a larger network, but rest assured Eduardo calls the shots. They sell original, affordable work – a niche that’s rarely been tapped!
They appeal to those who want original work at a fair price. With prices ranging from $100-$5000, there’s something for everyone at Carré d’Artistes. In other words, you don’t have to be a millionaire to own one-of-a-kind artwork.
The gallery has four levels of sizing, from a petite format (5” x 5”) to l’art grande (20” by 20”). The petite format in particular has become a hit with local Boca art collectors.
Eduardo explains these small pieces allow for flexibility. People constantly move and his petite works allow people to redecorate or enjoy their collection – on their own terms with their own style.
The Artists
Carré d’Artistes is a growing network, a brand of 33 stores world wide and make no mistake, no two galleries are alike! The Boca location has a twelve artist, rotating system. Every month, a new artist enters the rotation and an old one moves to a different location.
Eduardo tells us that around six up and coming artists enter his gallery each week. They’re all looking to be part of the Carré d’Artistes family. Far from being bothered, he loves this constant energy and movement in the otherwise staid art world.
Eduardo made sure to let us know that if any artist wants to be involved, they should fill out an application online. A five person committee in France goes through hundreds of applications per year, accepting only the best artists.
Carré d’Artistes gives artists ample time to form and perfect their collection. These artists are not rushed and their creative concepts are never compromised. Carré d’Artistes markets these artists and allows them to be seen across, with Boca as just one of many hot spots!
Each artist has a bio and picture shown next to their work. This allows buyers to understand the work, and emotions behind it, more intimately.
The artist of the month is Fraçoise Gomes. From afar, her oil paintings look like a vibrant, colorful junglescape. If you look a bit closer, you’ll see the hundreds of intricate strokes and tiny details. Her minimalist work’s been well received by the Boca community.
Who is Eduardo Castañeda?
Carré d’Artistes belongs to a network, but’s independently operated by Eduardo. Born into an artistic family, with an architect father, Eduardo always had an artistic eye. At just seventeen, he emigrated from Columbia to Boca.
After receiving his Bachelor Degree in Finance and International Business, he strayed away from the art world. He began working across the globe and, after taking a consulting job in Dusseldorf, found himself drawn back to art galleries.
Eduardo would travel to Berlin on weekends and immerse himself in the local art and culture scene. Wanting to join the ranks of Germany’s artistic elite, he hatched a plan to open a gallery there. Unfortunately, this didn’t pan out and Eduardo found himself back in the US.
In New York City for a friend’s wedding, he saw a Carré d’Artistes gallery and fell in love. He was instantly enamored by the originality of the work and the pricing strategy – the same price for each artist – democratizing art.
He decided to open up his own branch here in Boca Raton and never looked back. It was kismet.
Eduardo loves to bridge the divide between art lover and artist, to find unique work for each patron, to share in his customers’ emotions when they find a piece that moves something deep inside. It’s fair to say he’s a romantic of the highest order when it comes to art.
He explains that art evokes an emotion and energy unrivaled by other forms of expression. Art brings us together regardless of culture, race, economic status, or anything else. It connects each and every one of us to something deeply human.
Eduardo is offering Boca News readers the opportunity to win an original piece of art. Sign up for the store’s monthly mailing list and be entered for this prize. Follow the store on Instagram and Facebook!
Debbie Mitzman says
Great article about Carre d’artistes in Boca Raton!