Daily Inspiration: Meet Gerald McGee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerald McGee.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
While in college at Santa Monica College I needed a job, so I went to the job board at the college and it had a job that preferred some wood working experience. While attending Fairfax High School I had wood shop as an elective all three years attending high school. I went for the interview, got the job and worked for the company for 6 years. After leaving I started working for Frame Design as a Designer and Manager in 1988. Frame Design picture framing opened its doors in 1974. In 1994 I purchased the business and expanded to open an Art Gallery. Frame Design GEM Gallery was born. Since then we have continued to offer quality custom picture framing and showcase local Artist as well as Art from all over the world. GEM Gallery carries original art, limited editions, Sculptures, Pottery, Glass Art and much more.

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?
Nothing is ever smooth when you run a business. There are a lot of ebbs and flows and you just have to get up every day and keep pushing. I’m very fortunate to have been in business for as long as I have. I’ve seen a lot of businesses come and go. The best part is return customers, but when you’ve been in business so long, a lot of customers passed away or move away. I think the hardest part for me is keeping up with the times social media advertising, and things of that nature and you always have to reinvent yourself. Find other ways to bring in income. I think that’s one of the biggest challenges in running a business..

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I own an art gallery and picture framing business. I specialize in quality custom picture framing that would be my bread and butter. I also have an art gallery that showcases artist from all over the world as well as local artists from the neighborhood. I think what sets me apart is that I’m an African-American male with a business and a predominantly Jewish neighborhood who embraces my culture as well as the neighborhoods. I’ve been here for over 37 years and I’m accepted and embraced as a part of the neighborhood. When I started in the business at 19, I was trained by one of the best framers in the city Earl Brinkman of Earl of Brentwood. I learned framing from the bottom up. I started from sanding frames, hand finishing, gold leafing before I could even move to the front and start working with customers. By the time I started working with customers, I knew how to make a frame from scratch not many framers can say that. But what also sets me apart is that I carry some great artist some very well-known artists and a lot of artists that you wouldn’t think would be in a small gallery like mine.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I think as far as finding a mentor whatever field that you want to be in whatever field you wanna work in start working in that field and don’t mind starting at the bottom because what you learn at the bottom is what takes you to the top to run a successful business? You have to know what everybody needs And you learn that when you start from the bottom.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gem4art.com/
• Instagram: fdgemgallery
• Facebook: Frame Design GEM Gallery