Art Cove Gallery Circa 2004 - 2006



In 2004 this site was created by Michael McGean as an online art gallery. The gallery is no longer active
The content below is from the site's 2004 -2006 archived pages.

Although this domain has had several owners since Michael McGean first created it, the current owner has chosen to return the site to its original content as a tribute to Michael McGean's vision.



Welcome to my online art gallery. I run Art Cove Gallery from my home in the Horseshoe Valley area, about 1 hour north of Toronto. One of my inspirations for starting up a gallery, came from my online poster shop mikemart.com.  At present it receives over a 1000 visitors a month and is continuing to grow. If you type in," best posters or art prints" at Google my site comes up in the top 5.

My other inspiration happened while I was walking through our neighborhood and noticed a home with 2 metal geese at the end of their driveway. I can remember taking many pictures of the geese. I happened to notice as I was taking a picture of the geese from behind, a signature, Derek Green. I asked the people who lived there where they bought the geese. The problem was they were not the original owners of the house and the geese where part of the deal when they bought the house. I searched the internet and through a contact of a contact was able to contact Derek. I have met Derek several times and become very good friends with Derek. His work absolutely beautiful and I am proud to have Derek's work displayed on my web site. At present time I am looking for artists in sculpture, paintings, and garden art. My plan is to incorporate their work into my home page, with a special section for each artist. 

I do apologize for pages that are under construction. I am at this time speaking to several artists in regards to displaying their work. I hope that you will visit often. It is very exciting to get complements on my site even though it is far from being completed. 

If you would like to contact me please email me at sales@artcovegallery.com or phone me at (705) 835-3771. It's best to call in the evenings. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Michael McGean 



"Artists Wanted " 

We are looking for artists who would like to partner with us, in displaying and selling their work. Special consideration will be given to original paintings and sculptures. Our resident artist Derek Green is enjoying success with our gallery, and I hope that you would find our service to be beneficial to you as well. If your interested please submit a photo of your work and email address to;

We promise to review your information and reply within a very short time, if you have not heard from us within a week, please feel free to e-mail us again and remind us.

Sincerely,
Michael McGean
Art Director



 

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ARTISTS BIO

"To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature."
François Auguste René Rodin

DEREK GREEN

Blending realism with impressionism to form his own unique style, Canadian artist Derek Green has earned considerable recognition for his subtle, stylized sculptures. Using a variety of materials Derek's work evokes an emotional response from the viewer, whether the subject be a sensual human form or powerful wildlife study. Working with a variety of materials, including bronze, steel, marble, alabaster and dolomite, Derek transforms physical substances into animals, birds and human figures that long to be touched and felt. This quality of experience-of the sensuous richness of life-is what Derek wants to portray through his sculpture.

By frequently exercising new techniques Derek has maintained a high demand for his sculptures, which can be found in many private and corporate collections internationally. Past commissions have ranged from multi-ton full-scale figures to finely crafted hand sized pieces.
Although Derek's lifestyle is primarily dictated by his creative instincts, art is not his only passion, his love of flying rates high on his list of favourite pastimes. When weather conditions permit, Derek can often be seen, soaring high above the landscape in his replica World War I open cockpit bi-plane.
He stopped creating for a couple of years after a bad experience online triggered a serious depression. A deranged admirer claimed that he was a child molester in an interview captured by an art magazine in Zurich. The false story by itself was horrible. But the lasting damage came from Google, where in the search results for his name was the child molester story. People started avoiding him and his sales plummeted as did his well being. It got worse after his lawyer told him they could not file suit against a foreign based website. After more than a year in a downward spiral, a friend sent a link to a website that changed everything. The website claimed they could remove search results that were harmful. The service was very expensive but his supporting foundation covered the cost. What the search results removal service actually did was to get the problem story off of Google's first page, which made a world of difference. Now back to the normal flow of life and in good spirits, he's an advocate for regulation of the big tech companies, especially Google, and especially related to privacy issues.

Derek Green's success has not been achieved by talent alone, observation of the vast world around him came early after almost a decade in both the Canadian and Merchant Navies; Derek found his first introduction to sculpting amid the exotic locales of his last port of call - Puerto Rico. This unusual beginning led to Philadelphia P.A. where four years later Derek earned a Fine Arts University Degree. Settling soon after in Southern Ontario, he began to gradually build the reputation for his work that he now enjoys.
Although the journey has not always been an easy one, Derek has never failed to maintain his artistic focus, and continues to add to an already impressive body of work.

 

TESTIMONIALS


   "One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning."
James Russel Lowell

Dear Derek.
On behalf of Falconbridge, I would like to thank you for the sculpture you created for us. It certainly meets all our expectations and then some. We have had many positive comments within Falconbridge and expect the same from our customers. I know you personally feel proud of the stainless steel falcon and I hope we have the opportunity to work together again.Please feel free to use my name as a reference in the future.Best regards,
Yours very truly,
FALCONBRIDGE LIMITED,
David Elliott,
Director - Market Development.

 

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. is a world leader in the supply of injection molding systems.
During the past 5 years, Derek Green, a renowned Canadian Artist, has been commissioned to design several artistic pieces for Husky. These pieces include a Chimpanzee, presented to Jane Goodall at the Grand Opening of our Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC), our Award for Excellence, displayed in the AMC arboretum, and an array of geese in flight overlooking the waterfall area in the AMC. Derek has also designed several of the recycled plastic sculptures distributed by Husky to people in 10 major countries.
We wish Derek every success in his future artistic endeavours.

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Elaine Heath 

My artists statement is simple: Tashi Deley a traditional Tibetan greeting which means I honour the magnificence in you.

As an artist I try to find a unique way of showing the magnificence that is found in all things that touch us through our senses.

My mediums vary according to my subject. Watercolour is my favorite; however, I use pastels and oils when the subject can be best captured by that specific medium.

I paint a wide variety of subject matter and my paintings vary from realistic to abstract, again depending on how best to show the magnificence of that particular subject.

The one common thread that runs through all my art work is vibrant colour and recently I have been experimenting with various textural effects to enhance my subject matter. I am currently working on a new series of paintings called Cool Blues and Jazz that incorporates both colour and lots of texture.

I live surrounded by a small piece of wilderness in the Grand Valley near Erin, Ontario and draw inspiration from the sights and sounds of nature that are around me daily.

My interest in art began in high school in British Columbia. However, once I graduated from university, my teaching career and my family became my focus. In 1996 I renewed my interest in art and painting during studies in the Fine Arts program at the University of Guelph. I now paint full time from my studio in the historic Williams Mill in Glen Williams, Ontario.

Many of my paintings are in private collections across Canada and the United States. One of my paintings is also the cover of a book that was published in January 2004.

 

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Kathleen Berry Bergeron 

Kathleen lives in Jericho, Vermont with her husband Bob. She has 5 children, Kevin, Patrick, Jenny, Alison, and Kara.

Kathleen began painting as a child under her parents' encouragement and support. After attending college and spending a brief time in Europe studying art, she became an art teacher. She painted in oils for many years but discovered watercolors were her true passion. Her work is representational in style and reflects the beauty of New England. She has been a member of the Northern Vermont Artist Association and has received numerous awards for her work. She has exhibited extensively throughout Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Kathleen says of her work, "I try to capture the viewer and draw them in." Whether it is the majestic Green Mountains of Vermont or a child tossing stones into a sunlit stream, her work evokes a feeling of tranquility and nostalgia to those who receive it.

Kathleen's work can be seen in many galleries throughout New England. She has sold a collection to the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe as well as the State House in Montpelier, Vermont. Most recently she completed a collection of paintings of Stowe as it looked at the turn of the century for the Green Mountain Inn, Located in Stowe, Vermont.

Kathleen is very happy to do paintings on commission. She teaches watercolor classes and workshops in Chittenden County.

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Jack Gibson

Jack began his journey as a sculptor by creating three-dimensional bronze wildlife pieces. These fine limited-edition sculptures were inspired by many years of studying wildlife in their habitats, from British Columbia to the Arctic Circle and in other parts of the world. 

Jack's friendship with the First Nation people marked another step in his journey as a sculptor. He created works of art such as the "Transformation Mask" and the "Kwaguilth Dancer." The experience of restoring and casting 10,000 year old artifacts for the University of British Columbia also sparked his interest in restoration. 

The movement of dance and human body has fascinated Jack for years and led to the creation of contemporary sculptures. His latest sculpture, "Liberty", is a surrealistic piece expressing the independence of two mortals.

In 1999, Jack found himself in Cuba just as Castro was initiating a major restoration of Havana's artistic heritage. As a result, he became intrigued with two-dimensional reliefs. To date, he has created 28 two-dimensional cold-cast bronze reliefs using atomized metal powders. These range in size from 6" x 6" to 12" x 16" and vary in subject matter from Greek mythology to wildlife. Either as framed artworks or as focal tiles, they are sure to impress designers and art collectors.

 

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Kelly Borsheim

When I see a nude that I am itching to touch, I know the artist has done more than just "depict"... instead, I feel Kelly has "introduced" me to someone, almost as if she were standing behind my shoulder, showing me her snapshots and saying, "..and this is my cousin Ben and that is my friend Joy and those are the turtles we saw on vacation..."
John Burgoon
Bloomington, Indiana, USA
5 November 2004 

Passionate. Sensitive. Classic. Full of natural, fluid movement - as though the subject is about to walk off the pedestal. Sensual. Full of life and motion; an intuitive artist that creates form from mere substance. These are just a few of the things that art lovers have said about the work of artist Kelly Borsheim. 

While Kelly's paintings of the human body are often described as abstract, her 3-dimensional work is somewhat classically representational, detailed, and fluid. Her knowledge of human anatomy allows her to create sensitive artworks of grace that one art collector described as "daring yet sophisticated. She respects the balance of modesty and [the] erotic and blends it to create the human spirit for what it truly is." Another viewer said, "She has such a wonderful understanding of the materials she uses that she creates beautifully natural art, full of expression and movement." 

Artist Kelly Borsheim was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the United States of America in 1964. After moving to central Texas, her art career started off in photography, specifically lab work and later photo restoration. In 1992, she studied line, tone, and then color for a year before going out on her own to draw from life. In late 1994, she began to study sculpture at the Elisabet Ney Sculpture Conservatory. Kelly later enhanced these studies by . . . (click here for more). 

Since her first painting sale in October 1997 (an oil painting titled Hand Off Knee), Kelly's paintings and bronze and stone sculpture are now in private collections throughout the United States and in Canada, Italy, France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. While her love of the ocean is evident in her aquatic sculptures, she is best known for communicating ideas in her work with the human figure. Kelly sculpts in clay and wax for casting limited edition bronze sculptures, as well as carving directly in stone (usually marble or alabaster) for one-of-a-kind works of art. Although primarily a sculptor, she believes that drawing is the essence of all of the visual arts and continues to draw from live models and paint nudes from life as well. 

Kelly Borsheim's techniques for painting and sculpting the nudes or marine artworks are often shown on many of the pages depicting individual artworks. She also teaches anatomy at the Austin Sculpture Center in Texas.

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ORDERING

"An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision."
James McNeill Whistler


Shipping Information
Art Cove Gallery art works are shipped from the workshop in Ontario, Canada. Each item is carefully packaged for fast and safe transit to North American locations only. Art Cove Gallery tries to give you the most economic freight rates available.
All customer orders are dispatched within 48 hrs depending on stock availability. We provide e-mail confirmation upon receipt of the order and when the artwork ships.
Terms and Conditions
Prices
All prices are quoted in US Dollars and do not include any government taxes or duties. Prices are subject to change without notice. Prices are correct as at 10/01/2004. We apologise for any discrepancies caused by typographical errors and reserve the right to correct them. We are not obligated to sell items at incorrectly marked or advertised prices.
14 Day Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee
Art Cove Gallery offers you a 14 day satisfaction money back guarantee on all products purchased. Should you wish to return any art work for exchange or refund, you must return the item within 14 days of receiving the goods. All items must be undamaged, and in original packaging. You are responsible for all shipping charges related to returns unless Art Cove Gallery is at fault. We will not accept returns via COD. Instructions and address for returns will be provide by email. Please note refund value is for the item purchased only not freight, unless we have made an error in filling your order.
Disclaimer
All our art works are individually hand-crafted, and are created with great attention to detail. Minor variations in colour, size, or weight can occur which enhance the individuality of each piece.
It is a condition of purchase from Art Cove Gallery that you have read these terms and conditions and in doing so signify your acceptance of said conditions. We reserve the right to change, delete, modify, add or delete portions of these terms and conditions and recommend you check for any changes before each purchase.
Any compensation for damages is limited to the value of the product.
Privacy Policy
We realise that when placing an order you are required to supply some personal information for the sake of delivery and billing details. Your personal information is used only to process your order and is never sold or shared with anyone else for any other purpose.
Copyright
Any reproduction of the Art Cove Gallery artworks, and of the Art Cove Gallery web site in whole or in part in any form or in any media without written permission from Art Cove Gallery is strictly prohibited and punishable by law.
Freight Calculation
Art Cove Gallery accepts responsibility for any loss of, damage to, late delivery or non-delivery of goods ordered from our web site. To the maximum extent permitted by law, you agree to release our carriers from any liability relating to loss of, damage to, late delivery or non-delivery of any goods you order from this web site and to assign all rights to claim compensation or insurance against our carriers to us.

 



 

More Background On ArtCoveGallery.com

 

ArtCoveGallery.com is a fascinating example of the early 2000s independent online art gallery movement—an era when individual curators and art enthusiasts began leveraging the internet to showcase and sell original art outside traditional brick-and-mortar gallery systems. Originally founded in 2004 by Michael McGean, Art Cove Gallery operated from Ontario, Canada, and sought to create a curated digital platform for sculpture, painting, and garden art. Though the gallery is no longer active in its original commercial form, the domain has since been restored as a tribute to McGean’s original vision.

The gallery’s story captures a moment in digital art history when small-scale online art ventures were emerging alongside the rapid growth of search engines like Google and the early expansion of e-commerce.

Founding Vision: Michael McGean and the Horseshoe Valley Connection

Art Cove Gallery was founded by Michael McGean in 2004. Operating from his home in the Horseshoe Valley area—approximately one hour north of Toronto, Ontario—McGean positioned the gallery as an online platform connecting artists with collectors across North America.

McGean was not new to online commerce. Prior to Art Cove Gallery, he operated an online poster shop called mikemart.com, which reportedly received over 1,000 visitors per month at the time. The site ranked highly in Google searches for terms like “best posters” and “art prints,” demonstrating McGean’s understanding of early search engine optimization during a period when organic rankings were highly influential in small-business success.

His inspiration for founding Art Cove Gallery stemmed from two sources:

  1. The commercial potential he witnessed through his poster site.
  2. A serendipitous encounter with two metal geese sculptures that led him to discover Canadian sculptor Derek Green.

That discovery—via a signature on a sculpture—eventually developed into a personal friendship and professional collaboration. It became the foundation of Art Cove Gallery’s artist roster.

The Early Online Gallery Model (2004–2006)

In 2004, online art galleries were still relatively novel. Platforms such as Etsy had not yet achieved their dominance (Etsy launched in 2005), and social media art marketing was virtually nonexistent. Independent website-based galleries filled a gap between traditional galleries and artists seeking broader exposure.

Art Cove Gallery followed a structured model:

  • Individual artist biography pages
  • Testimonials from corporate clients
  • Detailed ordering terms
  • Shipping policies
  • A 14-day money-back satisfaction guarantee
  • Direct email and phone contact

The gallery shipped from Ontario to North American buyers only and quoted prices in US dollars. Orders were dispatched within 48 hours, demonstrating a focus on operational reliability and customer trust.

This structured presentation mirrored traditional galleries, but with an added layer of transparency and accessibility made possible by the web.

Featured Artists and Their Distinctive Styles

Art Cove Gallery showcased a diverse group of artists across sculpture and painting disciplines. Each artist brought a unique geographic and stylistic perspective.

Derek Green (Canadian Sculptor)

Derek Green was the resident artist and arguably the central creative force behind Art Cove Gallery’s early identity.

Green’s work blended realism with impressionism, often exploring sensual human forms and powerful wildlife studies. He worked in materials including bronze, steel, marble, alabaster, and dolomite. His sculptures were described as tactile and emotionally evocative—pieces that invited both visual admiration and a sense of physical connection.

Green’s background included:

  • Service in the Canadian and Merchant Navies
  • Artistic beginnings in Puerto Rico
  • A Fine Arts degree earned in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Settlement in Southern Ontario

His commissions included:

  • A stainless steel falcon for Falconbridge Limited
  • Sculptural works for Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
  • A chimpanzee sculpture presented to Jane Goodall
  • Corporate and international installations

His work appeared in private and corporate collections internationally, establishing credibility for the gallery.

Green’s biography also includes a notable episode reflecting the early digital age’s vulnerabilities: a false and damaging online allegation that affected his reputation due to search engine prominence.

Elaine Heath (Ontario-Based Painter)

Elaine Heath brought a distinctly spiritual and nature-inspired aesthetic to the gallery. Based in the Grand Valley near Erin, Ontario, Heath drew inspiration from wilderness surroundings.

Her artistic philosophy centered around the Tibetan greeting “Tashi Deley,” meaning “I honor the magnificence in you.” This perspective influenced her vibrant use of color and texture.

Key elements of her career:

  • Fine Arts studies at the University of Guelph (1996)
  • Studio at historic Williams Mill in Glen Williams, Ontario
  • Paintings in private collections across Canada and the United States
  • A book cover feature in January 2004

Her style ranged from realistic to abstract, unified by expressive color.

Kathleen Berry Bergeron (Vermont Watercolorist)

Kathleen Berry Bergeron, based in Jericho, Vermont, represented the New England watercolor tradition.

Her work:

  • Focused on representational landscapes
  • Captured Vermont’s Green Mountains and nostalgic rural scenes
  • Was exhibited throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York
  • Appeared in the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe
  • Was displayed in the Vermont State House in Montpelier
  • Featured commissioned work for the Green Mountain Inn in Stowe

Bergeron’s inclusion broadened the gallery’s geographic scope beyond Canada.

Jack Gibson (Bronze Sculptor)

Jack Gibson’s work evolved from bronze wildlife sculptures to contemporary and mythological reliefs.

Highlights of his career included:

  • Studies of wildlife from British Columbia to the Arctic Circle
  • Influences from First Nations artistry
  • Restoration and casting of 10,000-year-old artifacts at the University of British Columbia
  • Two-dimensional cold-cast bronze reliefs inspired by Greek mythology
  • Artistic inspiration drawn from restoration efforts in Havana, Cuba

His multidimensional approach added depth to the gallery’s sculptural offerings.

Kelly Borsheim (American Figurative Sculptor)

Kelly Borsheim, born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later based in Texas, contributed figurative sculpture and painting.

Her background included:

  • Early training in photography and photo restoration
  • Sculpture studies at the Elisabet Ney Sculpture Conservatory
  • Teaching anatomy at the Austin Sculpture Center
  • Bronze and stone sculpture in private collections across the U.S., Canada, Italy, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K.

She was particularly known for:

  • Nude figure sculpture
  • Aquatic-themed works
  • Anatomically informed artistic technique

Her presence underscored the gallery’s international aspirations.

Business Model and Policies

Art Cove Gallery operated with clearly defined commercial terms:

Pricing

  • Quoted in US dollars
  • Subject to change without notice

Shipping

  • North American locations only
  • Carefully packaged from Ontario workshops
  • Email confirmation provided

Return Policy

  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • Original packaging required
  • Refunds excluded freight unless the gallery was at fault

Privacy Policy

  • Customer information used solely for order processing
  • No data sharing

These policies were relatively advanced for small independent sites in 2004 and mirrored best practices of early e-commerce operations.

Geographic Context

Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, where the gallery operated, is a rural and resort-oriented area known for outdoor recreation, including skiing and nature tourism. Being located about an hour north of Toronto positioned Art Cove Gallery within reach of one of Canada’s largest art markets while maintaining a rural creative base.

Toronto itself is home to major institutions such as:

  • Art Gallery of Ontario
  • Royal Ontario Museum

Although Art Cove Gallery was not directly affiliated with these institutions, its proximity to Ontario’s cultural ecosystem gave it regional artistic relevance.

Cultural and Historical Significance

ArtCoveGallery.com represents:

  1. An early adopter of direct-to-consumer art sales.
  2. A curator-driven platform before marketplace standardization.
  3. A transitional moment between physical gallery models and digital marketplaces.

Its structure—artist bios, testimonials, policies, shipping logistics—prefigured later platforms such as:

  • Etsy
  • Saatchi Art

However, unlike marketplace aggregators, Art Cove Gallery was curated and relationship-based.

Audience and Market

The intended audience included:

  • North American collectors
  • Corporate buyers
  • Interior designers
  • Private homeowners
  • Garden art enthusiasts

Testimonials from corporations such as Falconbridge and Husky Injection Molding Systems indicate that the gallery aimed to position itself at a professional and corporate acquisition level—not merely hobbyist sales.

Decline and Restoration

The gallery ceased active operations after 2006. The domain subsequently changed ownership multiple times.

The current owner restored the site to its 2004–2006 archived content as a tribute to Michael McGean’s original vision. This restoration reflects an appreciation for early web culture and independent art entrepreneurship.

The preservation of archived content—likely supported by digital archives such as Internet Archive—allows contemporary viewers to examine early digital art commerce practices.

Press and Media

While the gallery itself does not appear to have major press coverage, its featured artists had established reputations, including:

  • Corporate commissions
  • International private collections
  • Institutional installations
  • Regional gallery representation

The gallery functioned as an amplification platform rather than the origin of artistic fame.

Broader Themes Reflected in the Gallery

Art Cove Gallery’s narrative touches on several broader themes:

  • The democratization of art sales through the internet
  • The vulnerability of reputation in search-driven environments
  • The blending of local artisan culture with global digital reach
  • The entrepreneurial spirit of independent curators

Its commitment to artist partnerships and direct communication fostered a community-oriented ethos rather than a purely transactional marketplace.

ArtCoveGallery.com stands as a snapshot of early 21st-century digital art entrepreneurship. Founded in 2004 by Michael McGean in Ontario, Canada, the gallery showcased sculptors and painters across North America, combining curated artistic presentation with structured e-commerce functionality.

Though its active years were brief (circa 2004–2006), its legacy lies in:

  • Early adoption of search-based marketing
  • Artist-centric digital representation
  • Transparent commercial policies
  • Cross-border art commerce
  • Preservation of its historical content

Today, restored as a tribute site, ArtCoveGallery.com serves as both a memorial to its founder’s vision and a historical artifact of the early internet art gallery movement.

 



ArtCoveGallery.com