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Published on 10/16/1995 All articles from this issue

Los Altos' ZYT art gallery celebrates 20 years in the business

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By Matthew Tom / Town Crier Staff Writer

It started out as a small picture framing shop 20 years ago and has expanded into the largest art gallery in Los Altos and one of the largest frame shops in the Bay Area.

"People don't realize how big our shop is," said ZYT Gallerie owner Ralph Doerr who celebrates the 20th anniversary of the opening of his Los Altos art gallery today.

"My wife and I have had the good fortune of traveling the world and there is no better place than Los Altos," he said. "We moved to Los Altos because we thought it would be the perfect place for this kind of business."

In celebration of their anniversary, Mayor Bob Gray will draw the winner of a Luigi Kasimir color etching valued at $1,300 and a showing of Alex Dzigurski II's works along with more than 100 other pieces of art.

"Although the anniversary celebrates the opening of our gallery, we are best known for our framing," Doerr said.

Doerr recently placed first among American framers at a contest in Italy sponsored by Italian framemaker Franco Arquati.

"We're far better known for our framing," Doerr said. "In fact, there was a couple from Utah who used to live in Atherton that flew all the back here to get their pictures framed.

"They said they got some of their pictures framed in shops in Utah, but weren't satisfied with their work. So they waited and came in with an armful of pictures."

Along with doing custom framing, ZYT Gallerie has do-it-yourself frame kits.

"People love those," Doerr said. "We have doctors and lawyer who come in looking for do-it-yourself frames. It's a good way to relax."

ZYT Gallerie sells art work ranging from Kasimir etchings to seascape painting by Dzigursky to Disney animation art.

He also carries works by Christina Romano who does landscapes of Los Altos Hills and the surrounding area.

Doerr said framed pieces of can range from $150 to $7,000.