Family-Owned Art Gallery A Real Neighborhood Find

Situated on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard on the busy north-south road that runs through Peachtree Corners just north of the Atlanta Hilton Hotel is DE Fine Art Gallery.

One step inside and the hustle and bustle of the traffic outside disappears. Visitors are immediately greeted with a visual display of fine works of art in a museum-like setting featuring original works by some of Europe's finest artists.

The Peachtree Corners gallery is a real find and one that many residents have probably driven by dozens of times without even slowing down to look inside. For anyone who enjoys fine art, it's worth stopping in to stroll around. Hundreds of paintings, from classic to contemporary are on display and for purchase.

The gallery is family owned and operated by the Harris family. Robert and Pat Harris began the business in the 1990s. The DE stands for Decorative Expressions, a name that sprung from the company's early beginnings in the 1990s.

As their business grew, Robert Harris and his wife Pat began traveling the world to locate fine works of art to sell at their 6,500-square-foot Peachtree Corners gallery which they opened in 2007.

They opened a second gallery in Buckhead two years later. Today they offer works of 30 international artists. Their two galleries feature thousands of pieces of art that sells from the mid thousands to $100,000.

The gallery features works of art from 35-40 different artists including paintings and sculptures by well-known Spanish artist Alvar Sunol, who has been one of Spain's most collected artists.

The list of artists is a virtual who's who in the European art world, representing traditional, impressionism, drawings and realism. "The gallery's hallmark is providing works by international artists," explained Stephanie Hunt, DE Fine Art Gallery's marketing director.

Along with Robert and Pat Harris, two of their sons have joined the family business. The couple's son, Rob is the vice president and a second son Ryan is also involved in operating the business.

And they're all preparing to head for China in two months for the Shanghi Art Fair scheduled for September 14-18. "It's one of the world's most recognized art fairs," explained Rob Harris. "Due to China's explosive growth, the market has really grown there."

The last event drew over a thousand influencial people in the art world said Harris. "It's an exciting opportunity for a local gallery," he said.

And having such a gallery in our midst is a great opportunity to see museum-quality pieces of art right here at home.

The gallery is also available for fundraisers, charity events and receptions. Call the gallery for more details.

DE Fine Arts Gallery is located at 5933 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suite B1, telephone, 770-300-9733, website, www.de-fineart.com

The Peachtree Corners gallery is open Tuesdays - Fridays from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and on Saturdays by appointment.