IN THE SUNLIT SPACE OF TEW GALLERIES, VISITORS encounter a remarkable diversity of artistic expressions. From vibrant, textured landscapes to delicate still lifes and mystical figurative works, the gallery has a legacy of creative excellence spanning more than three decades. But behind this carefully curated collection is a story of instinct, friendship and an unwavering commitment to quality that has transcended even the loss of its visionary founder.
Timothy Tew’s circuitous journey into the world of art galleries began with a transformative year in Paris after he completed his bachelor’s degree in music. “At the age of 27, I moved to Paris to fulfill my dreams of becoming fluent in French and to experience what it was like to be a Parisian,” Tew once reflected. “There, I studied French, art history and drawing, developing a critical eye for art.”
Tew’s Parisian education extended beyond formal studies. Living with what he described as “an eccentric woman who had traveled the world,” he not only perfected his French but gained a deeper understanding of cultural rigor and artistic discernment. These experiences would prove foundational for his future career.
In Paris, Tew formed connections with artists who would later become cornerstones of his gallery: Isabelle Melchior, Marie-Cécile Aptel and Jean-Pierre Bourquin. Upon returning to Atlanta in 1987, he opened Galerie Timothy Tew, showcasing these French artists alongside others he discovered during trips to Los Angeles, including Haidee Becker and Stephanus Heidacker. English artist Stewart Helm and American Charles Keiger rounded out the gallery’s early roster.
In 2006, nearly two decades after its founding, Tew rebranded as TEW Galleries when he purchased the current premises at The Galleries of Peachtree Hills. This marked not just a change in name but an expansion of vision. The gallery continued to build its reputation for representing artists with exceptional craftsmanship and distinctive personal styles.
What makes TEW Galleries particularly notable is the remarkable longevity of its relationships with artists. “We at TEW Galleries have always considered our artists as partners rather than producers of product, which is why we have such long and established histories with many of the artists,” explains Jules Bekker, executive director of the gallery.
This philosophy of partnership has created an extraordinary stability in the gallery’s roster. Isabelle Melchior, whom Tew met during his Parisian sojourn, remains one of the gallery’s most important artists some 36 years later. Aptel, Heidacker, Keiger, Becker and Helm have also remained with the gallery for decades. Additionally, the Ukrainian painters Olena Zvyagintseva and Serhiy Hai have been important to the gallery’s trajectory, as have Hunt Slonem and Cathy Hegman, along with several other well-known Georgia artists.
The TEW Galleries story is as much about its people as its art. As Bekker notes, Timothy Tew may have founded the gallery, but it has always been “a collaboration of close friends and co-workers.”
Bekker’s journey with the gallery began with a personal connection. Having studied fine art in South Africa, she met Tew when he opened his first gallery at the TULA Center in Atlanta. Their friendship eventually led to a professional partnership, and she joined full-time in 2006 after a career in magazine publishing.
Similarly, Corky Davis, the gallery’s sales director, came to TEW through friendship. Originally a full-time nurse with a passion for the arts, Davis began working part time with Tew in the early 1990s. He maintained this dual career path for years, serving as both a dear friend and permanent part-time employee until Tew’s passing. Davis recently retired from nursing this year to dedicate himself fully to the gallery.
Tew’s passing in September of 2024 marked the end of an era but not the end of his vision. Under the joint leadership of Bekker and Davis, TEW Galleries has continued its commitment to artistic excellence while naturally evolving.
“Obviously, the gallery has changed in some aspects because we have a slightly different viewpoint on how we curate the work,” Bekker acknowledges, yet the collaborative spirit that defined the gallery under Tew remains intact. “We used to sit in my office and argue about what we were bringing in. It’s always been a consensus situation. We tend to have similar tastes.”
This curatorial approach, selective and thoughtful, continues to define TEW’s philosophy. “We never take just what an artist offers; we cherry-pick,” Bekker explains. The gallery has also refined its focus on established artists rather than emerging talents. “We don’t really look for emerging artists anymore,” she adds. “Once we take someone on, we tend to keep them for a long time. Generally, we look for mid-career or artists who have a very established vision; they know where they’re going.”
The diverse array of works at TEW Galleries is not unified by adherence to a particular style, medium or subject matter but what Bekker describes as “a linking sensibility.” The gallery represents artists with distinctly personal voices and approaches, from Brian Rutenberg’s thick, textural paintings to Haidee Becker’s delicate still lifes.
“We look for artists who have different approaches from each other; they have quite a personal voice,” Bekker notes. “We put emphasis on artists who have excellent craft. They need to know their medium, how to use it and how to express themselves through it.”
While the gallery features everything from nonobjective abstraction to figurative realism, there is a curatorial consideration for how different works interact. “The one thing is, almost all of our artists can hang well together,” Bekker says. “They may not be alike, but the focus allows them to live nicely together.”
This harmonious coexistence of diverse styles reflects the gallery’s broader philosophy: celebrating individuality while maintaining a coherent aesthetic vision.
This ability to identify connections between diverse artistic expressions represents the curatorial eye that has defined TEW Galleries from its beginning. As the gallery continues its journey without its founder, this sensibility ensures that Timothy Tew’s vision lives on, transformed and renewed, but faithful to its origins. *
Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.
