constant evolution

Posted: August 26, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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It was busy in Graffiti Alley on Saturday afternoon.

Graffiti Alley - man on ladder spray painting a street art piece, other people in the alley, some taking pictures of each other, some in a group

Graffiti Alley - man on ladder spray painting a street art piece

…. the finished wall

Graffiti Alley -

below: This cat is new.  It replaces a painting of a woman’s face

Graffiti Alley - in a corner, a grey tones painting of a cat's head, blue recycling bins in front of it and partially obscuring one corner.
below: Another woman’s face is different but instead of being painted over, this one has been drawn on with black marker.   The little red and yellow guy is a recent addition too.

Graffiti Alley - people in the alley in the background. In the foreground is the painting of a woman's face by Insane that has been scribbled over in black marker.
below:  There are other drawings, probably by the same person that took a marker to the woman above.

Graffiti Alley - two black line drawings of faces that have been drawn on top of a pink and purple street art painting.
At Portland, a new larger than life raccoon.

blog_changes_graffiti_alley_raccoon

Plus other murals and street art that I saw this past weekend in the alley.  Some are more recent than others.

Graffiti Alley - uber5000 mural of a boating scene, yellow bird sterring a boat, black dog sitting on the bow, another yellow bird paddling a red canoe

Graffiti Alley - garge door painted in two shades of pink with the words Wanted Woman Gotham painted on the garage door as well

Graffiti Alley - part of a wall painted light blue with the word Yarka painted in purple and orange script

Graffiti Alley - on a light turquoise door, a stylized painting of a woman with yellow hair, red lips, blue dress, long black eye lashes

Graffiti Alley - a wall with a window on one side. Under the window is written the word Don in large pink and red letters. Beside the window is a painting of a man with a pointy top hat that covers his eyes, he has a big nose and a large white beard.

a woman sticks her head out of a window of a building in Graffiti Alley.

painting on a garage door - older man with orange jacket and orange bowler hat. Around the garage door are flowers on a blur background.

A garage door painted orange, then the word Yarka painted in blue letters

Mural of a large monkey sitting, holding a green book with his feet and smoking a pipe using one of his hands.

What is Victor up to?

Posted: August 25, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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Apparently Victor has been painting the alphabet, one letter at a time, on the sidewalk along Danforth Ave.  The letter A is near Eaton Ave (just east of Pape) and the letter Z is in front of De Serres art supply store (just west of Woodbine).   The letter O seems to be bigger than the others; it is in front of The Only Cafe near Donlands.

  Here is a sample:

The letter B is painted on a sidewalk in black, with blue, gree, yellow and swirls like ribbons wrapped loosely around the letter

The letter E is painted on a sidewalk in black, with blue, gree, yellow and swirls like ribbons wrapped loosely around the letter

The letters J and K are painted on a sidewalk in black, with blue, green, yellow and swirls like ribbons wrapped loosely around the letter

The letter O is painted on a sidewalk in black, with blue, green, yellow and swirls like ribbons wrapped loosely around the letter

The letter Z is painted on a sidewalk in black, with blue, green, yellow and swirls like ribbons wrapped loosely around the letter

Shortly after I took the above photos on Danforth Ave., I went downtown where I stumbled upon another of Victor’s creations.  I think it’s on Spadina Ave.

A painting on a sidewalk, A large rectangle has been made into the top part of a face, round nose at the bottom of the long side of the rectangle

below:  (added 28 Aug) I saw this hummingbird on the sidewalk on Queen West in Parkdale yesterday.

A painting on a sidewalk of a hummingbird done in Inuit style in blue and white, also some flowers, all enclosed in a green circle.

If you spent any time around Richmond and Spadina a few years ago, you might remember the yellow tape measure on the northwest corner of that intersection.  That was Victor’s work too.   Also on that corner is a “sculpture” of a thimble and a couple of buttons; the tape measure seem appropriate.  In fact, many of us thought that it was part of the art installation.  We learned otherwise when the paint was removed by the city, leaving only the shorter, unpainted tape measure that is etched into the concrete of the sidewalk.   Here is a link to a Toronto Star article written in November 2014 about the “cleaning up” of the tape measure.

Part of a yellow tape measure that has been painted on a sidewalk in Toronto

#whatisvictorupto

Chinatown Festival

Posted: August 25, 2015 in events
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A summer in Toronto is a summer of small festivals all over the city.  This past weekend, a part of Spadina was closed to traffic to make way for the Chinatown Festival.

looking north from Dundas, up Spadina. Part of the street is closed to traffic to make room for the Chinatown festival. Many people are waiting at the red light.

There were dragons,

Two women under a white Chinese dragon costume and they are walking beside a black dragon, They are following a girl who is holding a white flag with red Chinese characters on it

blog_chinatown_festival_black_dragon

food,

Fried squid on sticks being barbecued at a street festival

deep fried twisted potatos for sale at an outdoor festival

demonstrations and shows,

Four kids, two girls and two boys, practice kicking as part of a muay thai demonstration on an outdoor stage at a festival

Muay thai demonstration

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Two girls wearing shiny red dresses and gold and silver boots perform a dance on an outdoor stage. The audiencee is in the background

dancers from M. Dance school

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magician Stephen Cheung shows a deck of cards at an outdoor show

Stephen Cheung, magician

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A chinese woman sings on an outdoor stage at the Chinatown festival on Spadina Ave

Angel Cheng, singer

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as well as vendors and booths

members of the Toronto Chinese Baptist church making music, singers, accordian, and guitar player

music by members of the Toronto Chinese Baptist Church

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A girl tends a table full of cold drinks that are for sale, on the sidewalk

A young Asian boy sits on his father's shoulders

new kid in the alley

Posted: August 24, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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Hey!  There’s something new in Graffiti Alley! 
It comes in many disguises.  Or maybe there are many different ones, an invasion of sorts.

I’m not sure if they have names.
But there is little chicken guy, in fact there are two of them!  Birds of a feather they are.

red zombie with exposed brains

blog_chicken_gate
below:  I just call this one Iron.  I think I caught him in the act of tagging the wall.  If he looks something like a video game character, well, I’m sure that’s just coincidence.

Mario brothers parody I think, yellow shirt, blue pants and a moustache
below: This little  storm trooper, policeman sort of guy is being watched.  All police need oversight?  Is this a political statement?

storm trooper, under an eye from another graffiti piece
below:  Michaelangelo was always my favorite.  He’s the one in orange.

turtle caps, a parody of teenage mutant nija turtles
 below:  This little wizard has lost his wand but he can’t see where he’s going so he’s hopelessly lost and can’t find the wand, or anything else for that matter.

yellow wizard cap with stars on it

below: Zombie guy!  Watch out Alley, your brains are in danger!

blog_zombie

below: The force is probably strong with these guys

two rotund figures that are supposed to look like white storm troopers seen in the Star Wars movies

below:  An invasion!  A whole division of paratroops has started dropping in!  If the zombies don’t get you first, the invading army will!

with parachute, all in brown camoflage

with parachute, all in green camoflage

with parachute, all in brown camoflage

If anyone knows if these creatures have names, please let me know!

UPDATED:  Turtlecaps!  They’re called turtlecaps

saluting the sun

Posted: August 23, 2015 in events, people
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4th annual Yogathon,
Rise for a Cause – 108 Sun Salutations

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - looking toward the stage where the leaders are, arms stretched upwards, YOnge Dundas Square in Toronto

The event started with some warm-ups, some laughter yoga and some Bollywood style dance moves.

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - a young man in a pink turban, as well as some other people, laughing as they warm up to the yogathon while doing some laughter yoga

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, warming up to dance music, swinging arms

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - women laughing as they warm up to the yogathon while doing some laughter yoga

Money raised through the yogathon here in Toronto (along with 45 other cities) helps to support Care for Children, a program dedicated to providing free education  to rural youth in India.

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - most people are in a lunge position except for one woman who is standing with her arms raised

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - a yoga instructor is helping another woman with her upward dog position

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, a young woman with palms of hands pressed together, fingers spread apart

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, in downward dog position

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - downward dog time

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, women in lunge position with arms down and fingers on the ground

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, woman with ganesha tattoo on her calf

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - a man stands with his hands around his ankles, knees straight.

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, two women in downward dog position

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group - arms stretched to the side, standing, getting ready to practice yoga

men and women at a yogathon - doing yoga outside in a large group, young girl sitting on the ground and eating a cookie while her mother does yoga.

#riseforacause

almost around the block

Posted: August 22, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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Walking around the block, sort of, near Ossington and Queen.

North from Queen Street, west side of the alley

graffiti and street art by elicser on a wall in an alley, on the side of a Wine Rack store

detail of mural by elicser of two faces, a woman and a man in profile

Little animals crawl along the bottom part of a wall in an alley. They are covered in polka dots, there are two turtles, a hippo, a dinosaur and part of a beaver

street art on a wall in an alley

mural on a wall around, above and below three windows, looking down the along alongside the mural towards Queen St. west

part of a mural on a wall, a couple cheek to cheek with the woman wearing a purple party hat, also a topless green woman

detail of part of a mural showing a snake head and a skull. the snake looks fierce and has his tongue out

East side of the alley

street art, car movement and lights

mural of a jogger and a car with bright headlights shining through the night

Turning, now behind Queen Street West

graffiti and street art on both side of a corner of a building at the intersection of two alleys
street art covered wall in an alley

close up of a door covered with bright yellow, red, and blue graffiti

sticker graffiti, hot dog with line of mustard on it on a blue and yellow door

part of a street art painting on a wall with two windows, two large male faces, one in grey and pink and one in a brownish yellow

close up of a street art painting showing a large hand in front of a blue and red sweater

street art around two windows on a wall, pink on the top, green and brown on the bottom, with two faces, one realistic woman's face and one stylized face with eyes closed

A small corner in an alley that is behind metal bars, has graffiti on the wall. Beyond that is a wall cover with street art.

lovebot playing card wheatpaste high on a wall in an alley

pink swirls and a light purple skull in a street art painting

Where the alley meets Brookfield Street

A wall in a parking lot is covered with a mural with large S A and K letters,

A double garage door is covered with a painting in black andd white of geometric shapes, converging lines, with two faces as well.

two wheatpaste graffiti pieces, one yipyaps and one man's head. The word irony is written as well. They are on a worn black painted wood surface

On Brookfield Street at Queen Street West

street art by amek in pink white on blue background, sidewalk and bicycles in front of it.

below: The red line marks the alleys in which the above photos were taken.

map of Queen West at Ossington showing the northwest quadrant

north to Humbert

Posted: August 21, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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There is a lane that runs parallel, and just to the west of, Ossington Ave.
It’s only one block long, running north from Queen St. West to Humbert Street.

In the summer of 2012 this lane was the site for “Brighten the Corners For the Love of Art” mural project.  The project involved a number of local community groups such as ProAction Cops and Kids as well as the Academy of Lions (a gym on Ossington Ave).  Twenty artists painted many of the garage doors and fences in the alley.   Some of the paintings remain, some have been defaced, and others have been painted over entirely since then.  This is what the alley looked like last week.

An alley that runs parallel to Ossington Ave., looking north with garages on both sides and a tree overhead, looking towards Humbert St.
Two birdo creatures on a brown garage door
Two spud bomb graffiti characters on a blue garage door in an alley

A large white spud character on a garage door, with big googly eyes and arms that come out from where his ears are

 

a number of colourful street art paintings on a garage door and gate in an alley

garage door painted orange and then a geometric street art painting in greys and purples painted on that

A door in an alley with two montsters painted on it. A one eyed purple monster with a long pink tongue is sitting on top of a blue monster who is trying to pinch the end of the purple monster's tongue

Close up of a graffiti piece, many colours, with a blue 3D stick figure surrounded on three sides by frame-like boards

Two garage doors with street art. On the left is a yellow lovebot and a red grominator. On the second is a large woman's face that has been scribbled on as well as a fairy-like creature. The latter two are the work of EGR.An old broken toilet is in the corner.

A purple faced man is blowing grey clouds, the alley is in the background.

A mural of big headed, big toothed creatures by broken alley on a garage door in a lane.

The creatures on the garage door above always remind me of ‘scrubbing bubbles’ from the cleaning products of the same name.

A picture of blue scrubbing bubbles from TV ad

at Humbert Street

Posted: August 20, 2015 in graffiti and street art, intersections
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Intersections – Ossington at Humbert

below:  As you walk south on Ossington Ave, approaching Humbert Street,  look up and you can see the mural ‘Further’ by Aaron Li-Hill. Fencers with their swords in motion.   It extends the length of the wall but taking a picture of it is difficult because of the high location of the wall and because of the stuff on the roof of the adjacent building.

A mural on the upper storey of a building that is partially obscured by items on the roof of the adjacent building. THe theme of the mural is further, and the word further is written many times. There are also images of fencers with their swords.
below:  On the other side of Ossington Ave there is a mural along the north wall of House of Horvath .  The mural features a man in a tobacco field presumably picking tobacco.  It seemed like a strange theme for a mural in Toronto until I realized that this is a building in which cigars are made.   Yes, cigars are made in Toronto.

Mural of a man in a white hat leaning over and picking tobacco plants in a field of tobacco.

mural of a man in a tobacco field picking tobacco on the side of Horvaths, a cigar manufacturer, on Ossington St. in TOronto.

Panorama India

Posted: August 19, 2015 in events
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Sunday 16th August was the 69th anniversary of India’s independence.  Celebrations here in Toronto included Panorama India, a festival at Yonge Dundas Square.

 There was a small but energetic and colorful parade on the streets around the Eaton Center.

A group of people are walking in an India independence day celebration parade, they are holding a banner and walking behind it.

people dancing in a small circle in the middle of Yonge street. They are part of a parade celebrating India's 69th year of independence from Britain. The parade has stopped for a few minutes which has given them time to dance instead of walk.

A group of people walk behind a banner that says Tamil Nadu. This is a state in India and the parade is to mark Indian independence day. The women are wearing colourful saris

A smiling woman holds a sign written in Hindu

Men and women in a parade to mark India's 69th year of independence. The women are wearing saris and the men are wearing traditional Indian clothes

marchers in a parade

A man is holding up a sign with words written in Hindi
A group of marchers in a parade all wearing white clothes and carrying signs promoting peace and love and understanding and all those good things

 

The festival also featured vendors, music and speeches.

A woman is looking at jewellry that is for sale at an outdoor vendor at Panorama India, a festival in Toronto to celebrate India's 69th anniversary of independence day

Close up of a woman's back and shoulder. Her long black hair is braided and has flowers in it. Next to her is a man selling orange, green and white striped banners that are supposed to represent the colours of the Indian flag. Only his hand can be seen.

A few protesters waved flags and and carried signs and banners protesting against the Indian army’s presence in Kashmir.  They stood on the sidewalk across the street from the festival.

A protest is held on Yonge street by Dundas subway station entrance. A group of Sikhs is protesting the presence of the Indian army in Kashmir. They have two banners and some flags including a Canadian flag. They represent the group, Freedom of Kashmir, Canada.

cars on the Danforth

Posted: August 19, 2015 in events
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6th Annual Wheels on the Danforth
presented by The Crossroads of the Danforth BIA

picture taken at a car show - a boy is standing in front of a yellow car with its front hood open. It is a Pontiac Beaumont SD

As part of the event, Danforth Avenue was closed west of Warden Ave to Byng Ave for a car show. There were nine classes for the cars including Vintage cars (pre-1949) and Classic cars (1949-1979).

above: 1967 Pontiac Beaumont SD

below: 1930 Model A Ford

picture taken at a car show - front of an old green car (1930 Model A Ford), showing two round head lamps and a large metal radiator grille

picture taken at a car show - two black cars with their front hoods up showing the paintings that have been done under the hood

reflection of a blue vintage car in the hubcap of an old car, taken at a car show

picture taken at a car show - Yellow 1969 Camaro car with two black stripes down the front hood.

picture taken at a car show - detail of front of a 1951 Pontiac showing the badge with the Indian headin profile

picture taken at a car show - a Man walking his bike stops to look at two white cars from the 1970's that are on display. One of them has its front hood open. One of the cars is a Ford Mustang

picture taken at a car show - a line of cars on display with their front hoods up

picture taken at a car show - detail of the hood badge of a red car, two crossed flags, one red and one checkered

picture taken at a car show - detail of the hood ornament on a light blue 1951 Pontiac

picture taken at a car show - An old British, original mini, white, is parked in a line of other other cars at a car show.

model car, blue Mini with roof painted as a Union Jack, on the back dash of an original British mini, photo taken from outside the car.

picture taken at a car show - the metal side ornament that says Pontiac in script that is on a light blue car

picture taken at a car show - the backside of a small round rearview mirror on a light blue car

picture taken at a car show - the front corner of a red sports car showing wheel and front head lamps

picture taken at a car show - two men are talking together and looking under the hood of a black Trans Am

photo taken at a car show - hood ornament on a blue ford that is the shape of a bird with it's wings partially down, in the background is on old red truck.

part of the hood of a green and white car with the number 427 on it

V8 hood ornament made to look like an arrow on the hood of a car that has been painted yellow and orange

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