About

Established in Melville in July 2007, The Art Room is a contemporary art gallery with the luxury of having its own framing studio and factory. The gallery component is committed to the promotion of local artists and the nurturing of new talent. The framing component is focused on providing specialist knowledge and service in the framing of fine art.

In January 2012, The Art Room relocated to its current premises in Parkhurst and since January 2014 Simonetta Bravi has taken sole ownership of the business. Simonetta has over 30 years’ experience in fine art framing and has been interviewed on the topic by international media as well as appearing on the popular home and lifestyle TV show, Top Billing. Over the years she has worked with countless private and corporate collectors, artists, galleries, art consultants, interior decorators and members of the art-loving public.

Simonetta has collaborated with the design duo Strangelove in performance art, won best video concept in the first 48 Hour Music Video Challenge and has designed many memorable stands at Decorex, Rooms on View, The Johannesburg Antiques Fair and Turbine Art Fair.

The framing factory is located in Industria where a dedicated team of 14 people custom make each frame by hand. Production is overseen by Simonetta’s husband, Ryan Hitchcock, a fine art photographer who assists in various aspects of the business.

Juliette Rutte has been the gallery assistant since the inception of The Art Room and has worked with Simonetta even before then. Claire Rider joined as a framing consultant in September 2015. She is a painter and print-maker and holds a degree in fine art from Rhodes University. At the Parkhurst gallery, they take care of client liaison, gallery enquiries and framing consultations.

The gallery has a relaxed atmosphere that encourages people to discuss the artworks on view. Music permeates the air with smells from Tshidi Zuma’s killer cappuccinos while the courtyard and sculpture garden offers a refreshing environment against the Highveld heat.

Please visit our gallery to view and discuss the current exhibition, rummage through the Editions Box for unframed artworks or bring your artworks for a free, no-obligation framing quotation.