About us

Founded in 1965 by Raphaël Shano, Art et Style was born from the inspiring journey of a man at the crossroads of cultures and arts. An immigrant of Egyptian origin and a trained painter, Mr. Shano first settled in Quebec. Coming from the textile industry in Egypt, his talent and artistic sensitivity soon led him to be hired as a studio painter in a Montreal gallery — his first entry into the professional art world.

Driven by the desire to carve his own path, he opened his very first gallery on Sherbrooke Street, across from McGill University. This is where the Art et Style adventure began. At the time, his space neighbored for a few years the Galerie Clarence Gagnon, whose owner was Gilles Brown.

Early on, Raphaël Shano distinguished himself by his commitment to Quebec artists. He actively supported, exhibited, and sold works by local artists, including Bruno Côté, who would become one of the gallery’s best-selling painters — a true springboard for his national career.

When real estate costs became too high, Mr. Shano made a bold decision: to move his gallery to Westmount, still on Sherbrooke near Décarie Boulevard. A few years later followed a move to Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix region, where the gallery operated alternately between its two locations. Depending on the busy seasons, the Baie-Saint-Paul gallery was open in the summer, and the Montreal one during winter. This move marked an important turning point for Baie-Saint-Paul’s economy since he did not come alone: he brought with him a loyal clientele, often from downtown Montreal, accustomed to the quality of his exhibitions. Thanks to this transfer, he helped open the region to a new, high-end cultural tourism, attracting collectors, art lovers, and curious visitors to a corner of Quebec that would become a major hub of visual arts.

Upon his retirement, Mr. Shano left nothing to chance. A perfectionist deeply attached to Art et Style’s heritage, he chose to entrust the Baie-Saint-Paul gallery to someone sharing his vision and values: Gilles Charest. Already an experienced collector, long-time client, and owner of Galerie L’Harmattan, Mr. Charest represented a natural continuation in his eyes.

This passing of the torch took place with mutual respect and in recognition of a man — Raphaël Shano — whose impeccable ethics and warm humanity had left a strong impression on his clientele.

Today, Art et Style is the oldest gallery still active in Charlevoix. It continues its primary mission: to showcase Canadian art. There, one finds works by great masters such as Jean-Paul Lemieux, Marc-Aurèle Fortin, as well as artists from the Group of Seven. The gallery also continues to highlight contemporary figurative artists whose works sensitively capture Quebec and Canadian landscapes.

True to its regional roots, Art et Style also celebrates local icons such as René Richard and, of course, Bruno Côté, whose career remains intimately linked to the gallery’s soul and influence since its beginnings.

Art et Style is much more than an exhibition space: it is a bridge between generations, a living witness to the evolution of Quebec and Canadian art. Thanks to the vision of its founder and the continued commitment of its owners, Gilles Charest and, more recently, Marie-Andrée Bédard, the gallery continues to write, day after day, a story rooted in passion, respect for artists, and love of the land.

The L’Harmattan art gallery opened its doors in 1990 at 90 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street in Baie-Saint-Paul. In 1999, it moved to an iconic location: the former home of Dr. Allard. This house, almost abandoned at the time, was completely restored by Gilles Charest, who was eager to highlight the city’s architectural heritage. A house frequently photographed by visitors from all over the world, it has had several lives. Between 1905 and 1968, it was the residence of Dr. Allard, who maintained his medical practice there while also providing pharmacy services in the manner of a traditional apothecary. In the 1970s, as businesses moved toward shopping centers, a small bookstore took root there. From 1975 to 1981, La Librairie L’Escale brought new energy to the place. Then, in 2000, after a full restoration, the house became the L’Harmattan art gallery. Its evocative name was chosen for its poetic resonance — “l’art m’attend” (art awaits me) — but also for its meaning: a warm, dry wind blowing from the Sahara toward West Africa. A breath that evokes warmth, journey, and movement — just like the art found there. At its beginnings, the gallery offered a wide variety of styles: abstract works stood alongside more figurative, sometimes very traditional paintings. One day, Mr. Charest made a bold decision: to refocus the gallery’s artistic direction. He chose to represent only artists whose work aligns with contemporary creation — somewhere between pure abstraction and imaginative figuration. A risky bet, but deeply in line with his vision of art: alive, current, and daring. This transition allowed the gallery to establish itself as a reference in the contemporary art world. Today, it features works related to movements like Refus Global, the Plasticiens, and even rarer artists on the market, such as Alfred Pellan and Jean-Philippe Dallaire. The name L’Harmattan is now often mentioned in discussions among discerning collectors. The team takes daily pride in sharing these works with visitors. The artists exhibited all have remarkable careers. Some are part of museum collections and have created public artworks integrated into architecture (1%). Others shine on the international stage or promote the gallery through their presence in renowned Canadian galleries and prestigious American Art Fairs. The success of L’Harmattan — with 35 wonderful years of history in the art world — is based on the vision its owner has instilled, but also on the teamwork between the professionals who run it and the artists represented there. It is a genuine shared pride, as nowhere else in Charlevoix can you find under the same roof a Borduas or a Riopelle alongside a contemporary artist engaged in a current artistic practice.