Archive for the ‘people’ Category

buskerfest 2016

Posted: September 4, 2016 in events, people
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Buskerfest 2016,
Woodbine Park, Sept 2 – 5

a woman white painted white face, yellow cheeks and red lips, wearing a costume in blue with padded shoulders and a fringe around the shoulders, top hat with but white feather and a big red heart

below: Making their Toronto debut, Cirque No Problem (i.e Noa and Uri Weiss from Israel) perform the acrobatic part of their show while lip synching ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by Bonnie Tyler.

acrobatics - a woman upside known hanging from a trapeze by her knees, holds onto a man

busker show, men holding up a trapeze frame while and couple perform on it.

below: Fire Guy juggling three flaming torches as he moves through the middle of the crowd.

fire guy is moving around on motorized skateboard while juggling three llit torches, fire

below: The Privy People. A wonderful idea – porta potties as suites, each decorated with a different artist. I had the privilege to use the Frida Kahlo suite. An added bonus – the man in the lobby held my bag for me thereby solving another problem.   And those three women swimming past?  They are ‘Money Fish‘ , silent synchronized swimmers.

three women dressed in flippers, bathing suits and bathing caps pass by The Privy People, an act that is also very functional, porta potties decorated with artists work on the inside, personal service by people

below: Bex in Motion with two flaming hula hoops .

woman standing on a stool with two hula hoops around her middle, both of which have 5 or 6 spots that are on fire, in front of a crowd of people sitting on the grass

below: Chalk Master Dave gets a little help.

man is drawing a picture with chalk on the sidewalk. A little girl is squatting beside him and watching him work

below: There were a few small amusement park type rides including this ferris wheel.

a boy is waving to the camera as he sits on a ferris wheel

below: Gaia, a character performed by The Mistress of Madness .

a woman is dressed as Gaia with flowers in her hair, balancing and juggling three glass balls

below: It’s big enough to swallow a whole family!

a large monster made of purple, red and green balloons is manned by a man, an Asian family is having their picture taken in front of the monster

below: One of many shows with balancing and juggling, Kobbler Jay and his three knives.

a man stands on top of three stools as he juggles three knives

below: Dr. Bubblito and his bubbles… and lots of kids (and adults) chasing those bubbles.

very large bubbles being made in front of a crowd of children and adults, kids chasing and trying to catch and burst the bubbles, small girl with her arms outstretched

very large bubbles being made in front of a crowd of children and adults, kids chasing and trying to catch and burst the bubbles, just at the moment that the bubble breaks

very large bubbles being made in front of a crowd of children and adults, kids chasing and trying to catch and burst the bubbles

very large bubbles being made in front of a crowd of children and adults, kids chasing and trying to catch and burst the bubbles, young boy being held up by his mother to reach the bubbles

a young boy with bright yellow rimmed sunglasses stands on a large chess board contemplating his next move in the game of chess.

#buskerfestto | #buskersatthebeach

Olympian parade

Posted: August 29, 2016 in events, people
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a man's back is turned to the camera, view of his head and shoulders, he's wearing a red T-shirt that has All for one written across the shoulders. He's also wearing a red baseball cap with two little Canadian flags stuck into the back of it.

As I’m sure you all know, the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio have just finished recently.  Canadian athletes won a total of 22 medals, almost a record number for a summer Olympics (tied with the Atlanta games in 1996).  A celebratory ‘homecoming’ parade was held today to honour some current, and some former, Canadian athletes who call Toronto home.

people watching a parade including a young child is holding up a red and white hand written sign that says We like you Penny. It also has a red maple leaf on it and a red heart. Another girl is holding a home made sign with the Olympics rings on it as well as a Canadian flag in a heart shape.

below: Lots of people of all ages and dressed in red, or red and white, lined the Danforth from East Lynn park to Woodbine for the start of the parade.  There were lots of Canadian flags!

a group of kids wearing red and white Canada T-shirts with Canadian flags on them, also one girl holding a large Canadian flag, she has a little red maple leaf painted on her cheek. She is looking serious

a mother and father are squatting down beside his young daughter who is standing beside a street waiting for a parade to start, amongst other people, little girl is wearing a red Canada T-shirt.

below: Also pre-parade, Arda Zakarian from CP24 interviewed the crowd waiting on the sidewalk on the shady side of the Danforth.

woman reporter interviewing the crowd waiting for a parade

below: Ontario Premier, Kathleen Wynne, made an appearance at the beginning of the parade.  She didn’t walk in the parade, instead she met with the crowd who were waiting for the parade to begin.

Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne stands amongst some people on a sidewalk who are waiting for a parade to start

below: The sound of bagpipes meant the start of the parade!

Backs of bagpipers in a marching band as they walk past a crowd of people lining the sidewalk to watch the parade. Lots of people waving Canadian flags and looking down the street in anticipation of the rest of the parade

below: Riding in a vintage red and white pick-up truck were members of the women’s athletics team: Crystal Emmanuel, Nikkita Holder, Alicia Brown, Phylicia George, and Eseroghene (Ese) Omene

a man and a boy hold a banner in a parade, banner says ward 32 olympic parade. And then it lists the athletes that are riding in the old red and white pick-up truck behind the banner, Crystal Emmanuel, Alicia Brown, Nikkita Holder, Philicia George and Eseroghene Omene

below:  Women’s beach volleyball players, Kristina Valjas, and Jamie Broder, sit on either side of their coach John May.

three people sitting in the back of a light blue VW convertible in a parade. They are wearing Canada T-shirts. Man in the middle with a woman on either side. Man is wearing Canada hat.

below: There was a giant Canadian flag held aloft by a group of people.

a group of young adults holding up a giant Canadian flag, lying horizontal, above their heads as they walk down the street in a parade.

looking under a giant Canadian flag being held up by people, looking across to the other side of the street where some families are watching a parade, and waving Canadian flags.

below: Name that athlete.

Two men in a red convertible sports car driving slowly down Woodbine Ave in a parade

below:  Rose Cossar, rhythmic gymnastics (2012).

A woman Canadian athlete, Rose Cossar, rides in a red convertible in a parade. She is holding up a small Canadian flag.

below: Penny Olesiak and Michelle Williams, both medal winning swimmers, rode in a red convertible.  Here they are being interviewed as the parade moved slowly down Woodbine Ave.

Penny Olesiak and Michelle Williams, two Canadian swimmers who won medals in swimming in the 2016 olympics, ride in the back of a red convertible, a TV camera is on one side of the car and a man interviewing Michelle is on the other side of the car. The car is moving in a parade.

below: Closer up, Penny and Michelle.

Penny Olesiak and Michelle WIlliams riding in the back of a red convertible in a parade

a middle age man leans against the back of a pickup truck that is parked beside a sidewalk where three older men are talking. One of them is sitting on a bench and facing the camera.

The parade continued down Woodbine Avenue to Queen Street East where it end at Kew Garden.  I didn’t walk that far with them.  Apparently there was a very good turnout – lots of people went to show their support and/or their appreciation including the mayor, John Tory.

below: And last, a few more crowd shots!  More red, more flags and more signs.

A girl sits on her father's shoulders as they show a sign that they've made to other people who have come to watch a parade. The sign says Penny you are the greatest. Canada's number 1.

4 girls holding standing beside the road as a parade goes by. Two of them have hand written signs.

a young girl in a t shirt with yellow and red maple leafs on it, also wearing large sunglasses, holds a small Canadian flag in front of her mouth

 

Camera man with TV camera is in focus, with his back to the camera, Kathleen Wynne is in the background and is slightly out of focus.

summer in the city, July edition

Posted: July 29, 2016 in general Toronto, people
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July is almost over – yes, summer is flying by.
So far, it’s been a good one!

below: Staying cool and having fun in the Yonge Dundas square fountains

young children play in the fountains at dundas square

below: A giant bite from a giant watermelon slice

a woman attempts to take a bite out of another woman who is wearing a giant watermelon costume

below: A Bay Street hug and kiss.

a photo shoot on Bay St., downtown Toronto. The bride and groom are kissing on the crosswalk in the middle of the intersection. People turning to look.

below: An impromptu serenade

a young man plays a guitar for a mother and daughter, sitting on the edge of a planter outside. Another woman is watching

below: Watching the entertainment at the waterfront – it’s magical

a magician entertains a crowd on the waterfront, many people are watching, men, women and kids

below: Making comfort at Afrofest, Woodbine Park

a couple are lounging on a large light blue foamy thing, amongst a crowd at an outdoor music festival

below: A Canada Day kiss.

A man in a red cowboy hat in the foreground on the right, a couple kissing on the left. People watching a show on a stage in the background with Canadian flags and a banner that says Happy Canada Day

below: Leave your message by the outdoor facilities!

Two lines of Johnny on the spots, facing each other, in the middle is a small message board on a metal pole, outdoors, green leaves above

below: A mother and daughter stroll on the waterfront

A mother and daughter in sarees walk hand in hand along the waterfront. Paddle wheeler boat for scenic tours behind them, mother on a phone

below: Posing, Pride fun

Pride weekend, two policemen with rainbow sunglasses and small rainbow flags pose with two men in drag, wearing green dresses, one in a curly blond wig and the other in a black wig

below: Blowing bubbles by the lake.

A family sits by the lake, two young sons in matching fedoras. Mother is yawning, father and one son have backs to camera, other son is blowing bubbles towards the camera

Happy August everyone!

Many legs and feet on a red carpet outdoors. People dressed for hot weather, only face in the picture, a young girl looks bored as she looks at the camera

pride parade 2016

Posted: July 5, 2016 in events, people
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Or rather, pre-Pride parade.  The parade route is usually very crowded and this year I decided not walk it.  Instead, I mingled with the parade participants who gathered on Bloor Street in preparation for the event.  What you’ll find in this blog posts are a lot of pictures of people, people laughing and smiling and enjoying the day.  I hope I have captured some of the energy and spirit of the occasion.

below: A temporary rainbow LOVE sign

a rainbow coloured large sign that says LOVE on it, in front of a row of brick houses. A policeman is walking along the street in the right of the picture
below: The orange guy from the fruit group!

a man dressed as a fruit, an orange, with big green glittery bow in the front and oversized orange frame glasses, also white gloves and an orange hat. He is smiling a big smile and waving at the camera
below: One of the floats parked on Rosedale Valley Road. Toronto in balloons, ready and waiting for the parade to start.  The calm before the storm.

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below:  When I first approached this group, the man in the middle had a rainbow flag in front of him. As I took the picture he flung the flag to his back and hammed it up for the camera.  Thanks!

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below: These boots are made for walking, but that bike sure looks great!

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below: Apparently, wearing large amounts of feathers on your back is quite warm. Not so good on a hot day!

Two men with large feathery wings on their back. The one in front has black wings and is wearing a black leather hat. He is topless. The other man is wearing a white T-shirt and white feathery wings as well as a rainbow striped hat.

below: The solution – water of course.   Super soakers and the spraying of water is a big part of the pride parade.

a man wearing black feather wings and a black leather cap is being sprayed with water

below: The three coloured Transgender Pride flag – the stereotype colours of light blue for baby boys and light pink for baby girls with a white stripe in the middle for those who identify as neither.

A young person with short hair and a floral wreath in their hair, holds three pink and light blue trans flags,.

below: #ShareLove wash the hashtag used by Telus and the people on their float. I love the glitter and the purple hearts!

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below: Puppets from Kids Help Phone Line make an appearance at the parade with a little help from some friends.  The one T-shirt reads “Tell us about your #firstpride”

two young women with puppets, from the Kids Help Line float at the parade. One puppet is a girl and the other is a boy.

below: Well, what can I say? It’s Pride.

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below: Nonchalantly blowing bubbles.  Someone looks unimpressed.

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below: I managed to find the saddest person on Bloor Street.

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below: Thanks to these two women who showed off their T-shirts for the camera. #ProudBecause was Fido’s campaign for Pride. Each person on the team had a T-shirt like this, and each person had filled in the white rectangles with their personal messages.

two women pose with their backs to the camera. They are wearing yellow T-shirts that have multicoloured hashtag symbol with the word #ProudBecause written below it. Below that is a white space where they have each filled in the reason for why they are proud.

below: Spectators waiting. One is keeping cool.

A man in a large red afro wig is standing beside the parade route, on the sidewalk but behind the barricade. Viewed from the back, all he is wearing is a leather thong and red shoes and socks.

below: The Liberals had a large presence, most of them in red T-shirts.  They congregated on Asquith Green early on and there were many in the staging area on Bloor Street.  As the world knows, Justin Trudeau walked in the parade with Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.  As an aside, I may be the only person who didn’t get a photo of Trudeau!

When the parade started, I left Bloor Street, heading south on Ted Rogers Way then back towards the Hayden Street entrance to Bloor subway station.  Somewhere along that route (and I can’t remember exactly where) I saw a small group of PC/Tories with their signs walking towards the parade.

a man wearing a rainbow coloured mask and a rainbow bandana over his head, holding a flag. In the background is a group of people wearing red T-shirts that say Proud Liberal

below: Tomodachi is Japanese for ‘friends’.

a group at a parade, rainbow umbrella, one woman holds a sign that says "Pride from Japen" and another woman holds a placard that says "we are tomodachi"

below: The Federation of Canadian Naturists were also walking in the parade.

a group of naturists , mostly seen from the backside, naked bums, bare bodies

two young Asian men pose beside a man in drag, long auburn hair and a red tight fitting dress, there is also a topless man wearing a hat with a Mexican symbol on it and holding a Mexican flag.

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a person in an orange wig and with green lipstick. You can only see the face because the rest of her is covered by the yellow feathers and glittery pieces that she's wearing. A very vibrant picture.

A woman dressed in a Sailor Moon costume sits on the ground beside a large rainbow flag

A minister in black shirt and white collar, also wearing a large wood cross on a necklace. Other people dressed for the pride parade are in the background.

A young Asian woman wears large round sunglasses with pink peace symbols on them as well as a pink and a green fuzzy necklace. A man holding a rainbow flag is smiling in the background.

a man in drag, pink dress, and a very large pink wig. He also has a partial mask over his face so that is forehead and very large nose look blue.

A young person with very short hair, wearing round purple and pink sunglasses and a tie dyed T-shirt that says Free Hugs on it.

line of people waiting behind barricades at the side of the street waiting for the Pride parade to begin.

a girl in pink sun hat, white sunglasses and a bright multi coloured dress poses for a picture

Two young women from the group 'Mercy for Animals'. One is holding a green placard in the shape of a rabbit and the other is holding a placard in the shape of an orange pig.

two people on a motorcycle posing for the camera

dyke march 2016

Posted: July 3, 2016 in events, people
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This year’s Dyke March (the 20th!) was an energetic, supportive, and positive celebration once again.  It was led as usual by motorcycles and then Dykes on Bikes.  Numerous groups and individuals walked and there was a good turnout that lined the sidewalks to watch the parade pass by.  Colourful.  Joyful.

many motorcycles as part of Dykes March, downtown Toronto

two people hugging, one in black pants and knee high boots, motorcycles parked around them.

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - one cyclist in a tight red body suit is yelling in celebration, other cyclists around her

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto

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two women on a red motorcycle in a parade

girls and women marching in a dyke march

a young woman with magenta coloured hair and a t shirt that says "Kiss me i'm gay"

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a woman carries a large crocheted umbrella with a multicoloured fringe

women walking in a dyke march

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - two women dancing

topless bare breasted cyclists in dyke march

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a woman in a turquoise top with her arms raised, a rainbow flag in one had, another woman is grinning

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a group in various leather clothes, some topless

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - Dykes on bikes, parade has stopped so the cyclists have put down their bikes and many of them are lying down, crowds on the sidewalks watching the parade

two women carrying a crocheted banner for Dykes on Bikes, walkers in a dyke march in Toronto

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - Latino, or Spanish speaking group with a baner that says" Estamos Aqui"

spectators sitting on a sidewalk. A woman with flowers in her hair and pink sunglasses as well as white knee socks. The man beside her has a fedora on.

Two people holding hands, one is wearing a pink T shirt that says "Women want to have FUN - damental rights". Closely cropped picture

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto -

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a woman with a red boa is dancing and talking to other women at the same time

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a large group of cyclists on Yonge Street, Dykes on bikes

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - two young women walking together, one is holding a sign that says "love is proud"

spectators on a sidewalk watching the Dyke March, one woman has a sign that says "Marching for those who didn't make it"

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a woman on a motorcycle with a rainbow flag

two groups, one Muslim and one Jewish, walking in a Dyke March

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a couple hugging, a couple wearing long colourful beads

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - Dykes on bikes, one woman on a bike has one arm in the air,

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a young black woman is shouting as she raises her sign in the air

black dog all dressed up for pride, walking in a dyke march

a woman with very short purple hair, a pink sleeveless top, and many tattoos, is taking a picture with her phone of a group marching in the Dyke March

a woman with a rainbow string bikini stands beside a well tanned man in white shorts and no shirt as they watch women marching in the Dyke March

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a woman on an E-scooter in short white shorts and a red shirt and red pointy hat

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - a CTV reporter is walking backwards as he is being filmed following the Dyke March

spectators on the sidewalk watching a parade. A man with a camera, a woman with her shopping, a man with a pink boa, another man with a pink shirt and white pants

people watching a parade

kids riding on bikes with their mothers in a dyke march

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto -

walkers in a dyke march in Toronto - two women wearing T shirts that say "This parade is gay", as well as a topless woman holding a sign that says "We are not targets". Another sign says "Learn the difference between sex and gender"

a woman is carrying a crocheted rainbow banner for a dyke march, behind her a larger group is carrying a crocheted banner that says diversity

a woman in dark sunglasses stands beside a banner with sections for different famous lesbian women - Mary Woo Sims, Lynne Fernie, Betty Baxter, We Wha, Gertrude Stein,

crocheted banner for dyke march is lying on the pavement. A woman is sitting on the kerb and she is crocheting

#pride | #prideTO | #prideToronto

trans rally and march

Posted: July 2, 2016 in events, people
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The Trans Rally and March, first of the Pride parades was last night (Friday).

 

a young man in a white sleeveless shirt in a parade, holding a sign that says #love always wins

below: If you were driving on Yonge street last night, perhaps you got stuck in traffic. Northbound cars on Yonge were stopped to allow the parade to cross from Bloor to Yonge. The parade continued in the southbound lanes which gave the stuck drivers and passengers a front row seat.

Cars coming north on Yonge street are stuck because they have to stop for a parade that crossed Yonge street, the Trans parade then marched south on Yonge street beside the traffic. A woman takes a picture out the window of her car.

Last year it rained for the Trans March and in previous years the turn out was low.  Whether it is because trans issues have been in the news a lot lately, or because the trans community is more visible, or because of other reasons, there were more people walking than usual.

parade coming down Yonge street, cars stopped on the right, a flag on the left, one woman holding a sign that says We celebrate our children

guys walking in a trans parade on Bloor street holding signs that say "We are #orlando, we will always remember you RIP"

A man in butterfly pink sunglasses is making a face as he blows bubbles, the man beside him has a large beard and he's laughing as he blows bubbles too.

a woman in an orange dress holds a sign that says "Hearts not parts", she has her arm around a young man in a black baseball cap and sunglasses.

people walking in a parade on Bloor street in Toronto including a man dressed all in pink and a man with shiny magenta leggings and a rainbow tie dyed top

two men in a pride parade with wigs on, each carrying a rabbit

an old motorcycle and sidecar painted splotchy orange with a person wearing a pink bra sitting in the sidecar. Parked, waiting for the start of a parade.

a boy waits for the start of a parade. He is carrying a sign, dark blue lettering on magenta, that says I have a sign.

a man in a zebra striped dress and a bright pink wig, in a parade, another man is beside him holding a sign that says US anti-trans bathroom bills are full of shit, no more hate

two small dogs on leashes, walking in a parade

trans parade on Bloor Street, many people walking and holding signs, "Support Trans Families". One person with a rainbow flag on their back. one girl with a bright pink boa.

two older guys dressed up for trans parade, one in a glittery top and the other in a pink fishnet top, both in motorized scooters, one with a rainbow flag draped over the scooter, the other with big plastic flowers.

A button that says "Sex, it's what we do".

people walking in a parade including a woman in a jean jacket and a frilly white skirt and a person dressed in white dress, hat and high heel shoes.

three people stop to pose for a photo as they walk in a trans parade for pride weekend

below:  Dave holding ‘Pulse’ a memorial artwork in honour of those who died at the Pulse nightclub Orlando.  The piece was crocheted by Dave and the Craft Action Collective.

Dave holding up a large crocheted banner with a black and grey ribbon, and rainbow ribbons with the names of each of the people killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

a group of people walking in a trans march, three in long skirts and two with hats, the middle one is dressed all in purple

a couple in a parade, one has a rainbow coloured boa and the other has a pink wig and is draped in the pink and blue trans flag.

a woman wearing a bikibi top and sunglasses is blowing a whistle and pumping her fist as she walks in a parade

a crowd of people walking down Yonge street in a trans parade as part of Pride, one person is holding a sign that says "I just want to pee"

a woman in a parade is holding as sign that says Biological Sex does not equal gender identity

a person with long hair and wearing a purple t-shirt that says fuck on it, holding a banner in a trans parade

a young woman laughing, she's wearing a stars and stripes bikini top and a straw cowboy hat.

young person in a green t shirt holding a sign that says "We need health care not gatekeeping"

A young woman carrying a sign in a parade. The sign says "Proud of my parent and you"

a couple walking arm in arm in a parade, one has short blue hair and the other is wearing a t shirt with a skull on it and holding a rainbow pride flag

a couple standing beside each other with their backs to the camera, one has a rainbow flag draped over her back and the other has a trans flag draped over his back.

#loveislove | #lovealwayswins

nuit rose

Posted: June 28, 2016 in events, people
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Nuit Rose,
a festival of queer art and performance

On Saturday night events were held at a number of venues that were concentrated in two locations, along Queen St. West and in the Church-Wellesley village area.  I hung out around two parks in the village, Norman Jewison Park which runs east of Yonge and Barbara Hall Park on Church street.  In hindsight, I wish I had had more time, or had been more organized, to get to more of the events.

Red Pepper Spectacle Arts led a Light Parade that started at Norman Jewison park.    A small contingent, most wearing or carrying a light-emitting object, walked through the park, along and then back down Church Street.  From the  – sparklers, glow sticks

people walking in a night time parade for nuit rose, down Church St., one man is holding up a light stick, a woman is holding a sparkler, other people have lanterns and glow sticks.

to the more elaborate

Two guys in drag with lights all over their costume, holding large fans

a man holding a large pole with a bird head on the top of it, with rainbow coloured fabric, meant to be the bird's wings.

below: and an eagle on stilts

A woman in a flowing costume with eagle head, up on stilts, in a night time parade for nuit rose

below: Note to self: for night time parades take more photos at the start of the parade because once people start moving it’s more difficult to get them in focus!

people walking in a parade, glow sticks, some costumes, a woman with pink butterfly wings

a paper lantern in the shape of a floating flower, out of focus

below: Where else would you be able to sit on a unicorn and get your picture taken?

two people sitting on unicorns to have their picture taken with a person in a red wig hamming it up in front of them, nuit rose, night time.

A young man is sitting on a pink unicorn

below: And after a unicorn pose, have your photo taken standing with a well-lit couple.

a man with lights in his shirt poses beside two statues that light up

below: 360 degrees by Iain Downie, 360 stars, 60 in each of the six Pride colours in the garden.

under a tree in a park, with roses in the background, many coloured 3D stick shapes that have been covered with yarn, lie on the ground.

a group of people stand around a stage watching a dance performance

below: Dance performance, ‘By Chance’ by Janessa Pudwell and Tanya Svazas Cronin.

We pass by hundreds of people on a daily basis who we may never see again. Sometimes we share a glance that lasts a bit longer. This piece is about the relationships that could be created if we acted on those glances. These are the fleeting chances, exchanged through our eyes that will never be fully realized. Instead these people may only appear once in our lives as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.”

two women performing a dance on a stage., one is seated and the other is standing, some people are sitting beside the stage and watching the show.

Dancers performing in front of a video playing on a screen, night time performance, some of the dancers are partly blurry

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dancers performing in front a screen that's showing a video, night time, nuit rose performance

a hand holding a camera, two dancers out of focus in the background.

#nuitrose | #nuitroseTO | #nuitrosetoronto

luminato mirrors

Posted: June 25, 2016 in events, people
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The 10th annual Luminato festival is being held inside the old Hearn Generating Station in the Portlands.  There are many theatrical, musical and visual events and the location itself is worthy of many, many photos.  Rather than try to cover everything in one blog post, I’ve chosen to focus on mirrors and reflections to begin with.    First, there is the giant ‘disco ball’ that keeps light circulating around the massive interior of the Hearn and second,  an installation by Jordan Soderberg Mills features three interesting and entertaining mirrors.

‘One Thousand Speculations’ is the name of the giant ball that is suspended from the ceiling. At 7.9m in diameter, it is the world’s largest mirror ball.   It is the creation of Canadian artist Michel de Broin and was commissioned for the 2013 Luminato festival where it hung from a crane over David Pecaut Square.  One thousand mirrors reflect the light from a spotlight on the floor and as the ball slowly turns, the lights move around the ceiling, walls, and floor of the Hearn.

below: As seen from the ground floor level.

One thousand specualtions, a mirror ball with 1000 mirrors, inside the hearn generating station as part of luminato festival
below: Close up. The top level is quite close to the ball.

reflections seen in the mirror ball, hearn

below: Someone, somewhere, has a picture of his friend ‘holding up’ the giant ball!

one man is taking another man's picture from an angle that it makes it look like the second one is holding up a giant disco ball, reflecting globe with 1000 mirrors on it, inside the Hearn generating station

below: And the reverse angle, from the top looking down.
Lots of irregular shapes of light moving around the space.

mirror ball suspended from the ceiling of the hearn generating station, the bottom of it in the foreground, with the ground floor level of the hearn below. lights reflecting. people looking up

The Luminato website describes the mirrors involved in the installation by Jordan Soderberg-Mills as “anaglyphic mirrors that play with physics, perception and colour”.   Now you’re probably wondering what anaglyphic means.  It’s a word that comes from the science of 3D pictures.  There is no concise definition!  It is a picture that consists of two slightly different perspectives of the same subject in contrasting colours that are superimposed on each other, producing a three-dimensional effect when viewed through two correspondingly coloured filters.  Phew.   In practice, it makes for a mirror that is fun to play with…. and people did play!

below: As seen from the upper level, three vertical mirrors and four circular mirrors.

looking down onto the ground floor of the hearn generating station at luminato festival, three large vertical mirrors and some round mirrors on two tables. A few people looking at the mirrors, some other people standing around.

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

people interacting with an anaglyphic mirror at the 10th luminato festival, hearn generating station

pieces reconstructed

Posted: June 22, 2016 in general Toronto, graffiti and street art, people
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The best walks are those where you discover things that you weren’t expecting.

Slices of pool cues and wood, toy figures and animals, as well as small bits and pieces have been put together with patience and imagination.  The methodical, artistic work of Albino Carreira covers his garage in a lane.  It looks like a work in progress.

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - one side of the garage is painted red and covered with decorations

below: Rising above the garage is a sculpture that resembles a spinal column with its stacked vertebrae.  Albino Carreira was a construction worker who came to Toronto from Portugal in 1972 as a young man.  In 1993 he fell from scaffolding on a job site,  cracked his skull and broke his spine.   Albino survived the fall and doctors were able to fix his skull with metal plates and reconstruct his backbone with pieces of bone from his leg.

a tall sculpture resembling a spinal column rises above a garage in a lane. constructed of bits of wood and found objects.

below: As you can see, one side of the garage is painted bright red, blood red perhaps.
But it is also a vibrant red, full of life.

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - one side is painted red and designs in sun shapes are found, with toy scorpion, snakes and insects

below: The north side of the garage (the side you can’t see in the first picture) is covered with slabs of polished stone with marbles in the grouting between the stones.  All parts of the pool cues were used, including the rubber bumper ends in the pattern seen here.

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - an edge, pool cues pieces on one side, tips from pool cues down the center and flat slabs of polished stone with marbles on the other side

below: The wasps have found it and they must like it too.

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - a corner section where wasps have built a nest

below: Some examples of the eclectic assortment of objects that have been used…. skulls, Santa Claus, beetles, butterflies, gold golfers, figurines, and champagne corks.  I spent quite a bit of time looking at the details, but then again that’s the sort of thing that I like to do.  I find it rewarding to discover little things that other people might pass over.

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - glow in the dark skull

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - detail of one section, a gold figurine of a golfer, a fat man holding a blue birdhouse

garage in a laneway decorated by Albino Carreira using slices of wood, pool cues, toy figures, and small found objects - a small Santa Claus, beetle, butterly and champagne cork

As I wrote this blog post, I kept thinking that I should go back to see if there was anything that I missed… and then I learned that his house is also decorated in a similar manner so now going back is definitely in my future!

 

summer in the city, June edition

Posted: June 15, 2016 in people
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Summer in the city – enjoying the summer weather!

below: Toronto street art in Graffiti Alley.

Street art painting in a n alley that says Toronto in blue

below: skateboarders

Two young men on skateboards are passing by, another is holding onto the back bumber of a red car while he is on a skateboard and the car is moving.

below: Enjoying a quiet moment, late afternoon.

a woman sits on an outdoor patio, under a large yellow and white umbrella with a Singha Beer ad on it, sitting on a bright red plastic stool. Other plastic stools are around her, both red and blue

below: Painting shingles – June 4th was 100 in One Day, a day where community activites are promoted. One of the activities on Kenwood Lane was shingle painting.

kids painting designs on wooden shingles, outdoors.

below: Running through the fountains at Yonge Dundas Square

a boy runs down the middle of the fountains at Dundas Square with his arms out at his side and a smile on his face

below: World Naked Bike Ride participants cycle through Kensington.

Five or six men on bicycles on a street in Kensington, they are all naked. One is wearing a large Canada Flag hat and has a Canadian flag flying from the back of his bike. Participants in the World Naked Bike Day.

below: Relaxing at Nathan Phillips Square.  #sitTO is a campaign to increase the number of places to sit in public spaces.

A man sits on a folding chair beside the fountain at Nathan Phillips Square. He has his feet up on the bars of his bike that is balanced there.

below: Distillery District

A woman is posing by the large red heart in the distillery district, she is leaning back on one side of it.

below: Patio, College Street

a restaurant on the corner of two streets, with a patio both out front and at the side. Both are full on a sunny late afternoon.

A woman is carrying a cat in what looks like a baby carrier on her chest. It is a Siamese cat

a frontyard full of small purple, blue and white flowers, all behind a chainlink fence

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