From Vision to Fruition

WELCOME to a dream that has been stewing for forty years!

In the 80’s I moved to Portland OR determined to sell my fine art photography in galleries. After discovering that would only yield 30-50% of the final price I was shocked, knowing that the hard costs (COS) would be out of my pocket, while the gallery “only had to sell” my work to keep 50% profit! My innocent ignorance has turned to enlightenment, now that I feel the weight of a monthly commercial lease, but in my early 20’s, that was a hard pill to swallow.

While logging 20 years in mostly-food retail, I pondered what to do with my original vision. In 1996 I cashed in my 401k to build a portrait studio into my home. I had a small family to feed, which required a bit more certainty than what my fine art photography had to promise. Portraits sales were doubling every year for my first five years and my work was garnering noteworthy accolades.

My image collection took on an international flare after several of my event and headshot photo gigs took me to several of my Bucket List countries. Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Australia, The Bahamas… I added extra time to each assignment so that I could chase my lens to exotic sunrises, sunsets and other wall-worthy visuals, all the while pondering how and when to share images with others.

In 2015 I was selected by a large art-commissioning company to produce high-quality image-files (referred to as flat-work) for their artists in the Portland area. Charcoal, watercolor, oil and acrylic paintings adorned my camera-room wall, as I meticulously lit them to capture them for duplication. RAW files, not for the artists, rather for the company that would print and market the artists. Each of these creators were working low-paying jobs that barely met their needs, but clearly they wanted to earn money from their work. When I learned that company went out of business, my thoughts were heavy with the “starving artists” during the pandemic.

Capturing flatwork-replicas of original art became a frequent service at Studio B, but most were only asking for a reference image to sell the original. For all of the effort that goes into double-polarized lighting (reflection-free lighting with depth & color density) my expense of time and editing was the same cost for a tiny file for their website left a pit in my stomach for the missed opportunities. That’s when it clicked…

As the pandemic hit in March of 2020 I found myself with all of the time I’d been craving to make something happen. As many people became overwhelmed by the uncertainty our planet faced, I discovered an opportunity to channel my original dream.

While my wife went home to New Zealand, I took drive with camera gear and made a stop at my favorite gallery at Cannon Beach OR. While there I came across a Buddha statue that appeared eager to see my home. As I drove home with it on the front seat, pondering the name for my gallery vision, the sculpture tipped over, presenting the $88 price tag in a horizontal position.

“That’s it! Two 8’s laying horizontal … 88 … Double Infinity!..”

By dinner time I had registered both www.DoubleInfinity.art and www.88gallery.art, uncertain which I preferred most. I was excited about my new “COVID project” taking the idea to my painter-friend Sandy (Graham) Salisbury. He shares a work space in my studio and he was frequently, modestly degrading his work.

I asked “If I could sell this, what would you want as a split?”

He said “50% but nobody will buy these.” I was eager to challenge his modesty, and included replicas that were more price-approachable for those that could not afford originals. After a soft launch of the site we sold several originals and giclee editions.

In March 2022 my “portrait studio” was remodeled to include more walls, allowing it to double as a gallery for my fine art photography as well as "Salisbury Paintings.” We purchased racks that convert my camera room into added gallery space during events so that we can be more than a web gallery.

It’s a modest start, but a dream that I expect to grow like Chinese Bamboo. Growing a strong root system under ground, then incremental growth that compounds into a beautiful canopy of nature.

Thursday, August 4th, 2022 will be our Grand Opening Event - The Color of Gratitude, featuring works from Sandy, myself (Brian Geraths) and an incredible, floral photographer named Jackie Maxwell for starters.

Frame samples are coming, info tags are under design and I am ALMOST set to reveal a collection of my favorite scenic images. (more to come on the walls, but for now, have a sneak peek!)

Please add your name to our mailing list to be the first to know when we set our grand opening date. We’ll imbibe in the midst of your future home decor by way of a fundraiser for “The Arts Counsel of Lake Oswego.” (local non-profit that benefits local artists)

I’m extremely excited to share this new chapter with you, and hope that you’ll join Sandy and me on this journey of creativity. He’s got some incredible new works called “Prismatic” that will surely light up the gallery walls after our first intended showing at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts.

UPDATE: Sandy was awarded a Blue Ribbon for his oil original “Sandy Cove” in his first showing!

My panel received an Honorable Mention ribbon which may not be a Kodak Gallery Award, but considering my photography was displayed with 150 REAL artists, I’m equally happy that we made marks at our first showing.

JOIN US AUGUST 4TH!

“Mirage” by Graham Salisbury (20x24” Acrylic Gallery Wrap)

New, yet-to-be-named photo from my trip to New Zealand April 2022

“All Rise” Pre-sunrise photo by Brian Geraths taken in Arches National Park. - Currently displayed showing ub the gallery as a LImited Edition 30x60” Acrylic. Contact for pricing.