Gallery owner selling prized artworks from family’s collection
Galal Helmy had a long working relationship with famed Canadian Indigenous artist
When you buy an original Morrisseau from EA Studios, you’re getting that comfort and guarantee that our pieces are authentic.”
It was 1965 when entrepreneur and gallery owner
Galal Helmy moved to Canada from Munich, at the age of 24 with just $80 in his pocket.
With an eye for art and items people would treasure, it didn’t take long for Helmy to find success, opening what is now known as EA Studios (Jasper) Ltd. Originally based at the Maligne Canyon Teahouse in Jasper, the studio now calls Calgary its home, where it showcases the works collected under Helmy’s trained eye.
Throughout his time operating the studio, Helmy sponsored some of Canada’s top artists, including famed Indigenous painter Norval Morrisseau, who had reached out to Helmy in the early 1980s, seeking sponsorship. The two became close friends, and Morrisseau began to paint at the
Maligne Canyon Teahouse in Jasper. The pair even
travelled to Los Angeles to showcase Morrisseau’s art,
promoting the collection with actor Charlton Heston and others.
EA Studios Calgary has one of the world’s largest authentic Morrisseau collections, including limited
edition silkscreen prints signed by Morrisseau, and approximately 200 acrylicon-canvas and acrylic-onleather originals, all of which are available to view and purchase on their website.
“All of our pieces were purchased directly from the artist,” says Joseph Helmy, Galal’s son. “And we have a high provenance associated
to our collection.”
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each original Morrisseau painting will go toward the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation in Ontario, to honour the late Morrisseau, who was born on the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation, an Ojibwe First Nation in northern Ontario.
Each purchase also comes with a copy of “A Picasso in the North Country: The Wild Journey of Canadian Artist, Norval Morrisseau” by the late James R. Stevens, a biography of Morrisseau that
includes acknowledgement of Helmy’s contributions to the book.
“When you buy an original Morrisseau from EA Studios, you’re getting that comfort and guarantee that our pieces are authentic,” Joseph Helmy says.
Morrisseau isn’t the only artist that the Helmy family represents. They also have an extensive collection of artworks from the late master sculptor David Wong.
Born in China, Wong moved to Vancouver in 1971, where he became globally recognized for his jade carvings prior to his death in 1998. His works were given to the likes of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan from the Canadian government, and during his career, he became friends with Galal Helmy, who was drawn to the masterful carvings.
Potential buyers are encouraged to contact EA Studios Calgary to make an appointment for private viewings of the art. Visit eastudioscalgary.com, call 1-866-621-7201 or email info@eastudioscalgary.com to find out more.
In addition, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7, EA Studios Calgary will be donating 25 per cent of all sales from their Norval Morrisseau, David Wong and mixed-media Legends collections to the Orange Shirt Foundation. Please visit their website for more details.