as I walk Toronto

Art Spin

Posted: September 2, 2013 in events, galleries
Tags: art, Art Spin, brick, Caroline Larsen, Celia Neubauer, concrete, gallery, green door, heritage, industrial, Jinny Yu, John Oswald, Lois Schklar, Mary Grisey, Michael Toke, Noel Middleton, projections, sculpture, Stillnessence, Toronto, Tower Automotive, visual, Vuk Dragojevic, wire

Fourth Annual Art Spin Exhibition,
Tower Automotive Building, 158 Sterling Rd.,
Aug 29 – Sept 1, 2013

18 artists, one old vacant heritage industrial building.

Interesting lighting. Interesting use of the space. Interesting relationships between the installations and their surroundings.

I have not included photos of all the art in the exhibit. My apologies to the artists whose work I haven’t shown.

looking at ‘Sound the Alarm’ by Caroline Larsen’ with the video installation ‘I,I,I,I’ in the foreground

‘We Are Happy’ by Michael Toke. Like a visit to the dentist’s office.

a group of people looking at a piece of art. They are in a large open space that once was a factory. Concrete and brick walls.

The painting on the wall to the left is ‘Exit Enter’ by Celia Neubauer.

‘Sterling Caer Observer’ by Noel Middleton

A sculpture that is composed of three tall vertical pieces of shiny metal. A yellowish brick wall is in the background.

‘Untitled’ by Jinny Yu. Three shaped pieces of metal by brick wall.

artist: Mary Grisey

‘Floating in the Eye of the Storm’ by Lois Schklar.

wire sculpture

‘Stillnessence Vivarium’ by John Oswald.

This installation lent itself to a many interpretations.

more information about Art Spin http://www.artspin.ca

The video installation ‘Melting Bricks’ was in small room where it was shown fairly high up on the wall. It was the only source of light in the room. I focused on the relationship between the room and the light when I was taking pictures of it. (my apologies to the artist as I seem to have forgotten his/her name).

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The Ex

Posted: August 31, 2013 in events
Tags: August, Canadian National Exhibition, CNE, deep fried, Ex, ferris wheel, food, midway, prizes, rides, Toronto, Twister, Zipper

An evening at the Canadian National Exhibition

A warm August evening.

Admission is only $5 if you go after 5 p.m., and if you don’t mind a few crowds!

A view from the Sky Ride. Downtown Toronto with the CN tower is in the background. Midway rides and games can be seen.

Riding the Sky Ride over the CNE midway

A fast food stand at the Ex, selling cheeseburgers, sausages, deep fried Mars bars, and other unhealthy food!

The Ex has always been a place to buy unhealthy, “interesting” food! Deep fried Mars bars, Twinkies, and Oreos are just some of the goodies available.

birds eye view of the midway. multicoloured roofs over midway game stalls, lots of people walking around

The midway is also where you will find many games to play! Many ways to spend your money if you”re feeling lucky.

A wall of stuffed toys - Bart Simpsons and South Park characters

Stuffed toys – the most popular midway game prize.

two of the midway rides - the swings and a ferris wheel

Spinners

many people in a line up waiting to get on the Zipper ride

line-ups are an inevitable part of a summer evening at the CNE

Some people in a line up waiting to get on a ride, the Twister ride is in the background

waiting for the Twister

two kids on a large bumble bee, one of the rides in Kid Land at the CNE

Happily riding the bumble bees in Kid Land.

the CNE website: http://theex.com/

more photos: http://www.asIwalkToronto.com/cne.html

other people’s photos:

Wychwood Barns

Posted: August 23, 2013 in locations, Uncategorized
Tags: artscape, bricks, converted building, five, heritage, St. Clair West, streetcars, Toronto, TTC, Wychwood, Wychwood barns

In 1913 the first of five Wychwood “Barns” were built by the city of Toronto as a streetcar maintenance facility. Streetcars accessed the site from the mainlines on St. Clair Ave., which is just to the north, via tracks on Wychwood Avenue.

There were five barns built from 1913 to 1921 as industrial buildings. They are brick structures, two storeys high with an interior steel structure that was exposed. The facility remained part of the TTC until 1992. The City of Toronto currently leases the site to Toronto Artscape Inc., a not-for-profit organization that develops and operates space for the arts, at $1 a year on a 50 year lease.

Barn 1 has been converted into a private live-work studio and housing for community artists, while Barn 2 was made into a community gathering space, including a theatre. Barns 1 & 2 became a covered street that is two storeys high, 60 metres long, and 10 meters wide. Barns 3 and 4 are private-public spaces where non-profit organizations can operate.

Interior of the present day Wychwood Barns, central part. Historical photos of Toronto streetcars hang over the doors on the right.

Interior of the present day Wychwood Barns, central part (barns 1 and 2). Historical photos of Toronto streetcars hang over the doors on the right.

A greenhouse and community gardens are located in Barn four. The roof was removed from Barn 5. All that remains is the steel structure that forms the arcade.

A large number 5 hangs over the remains of the fifth barn.

Barn number 5

part of an old wall showing the brick details.

Exposed interior wall

Sunflowers growing in the community gardens in barn 4.

walking Graffiti Alley again

Posted: August 22, 2013 in graffiti and street art, locations
Tags: colours, fish, graffiti, Graffiti Alley, marine life, McDougall Lane, paint, posters, Queen St. West, resurrect, Rush Lane, soul, spray paint, stickers, tags, Tom and Jerry, Toronto, uber, weeds

Behind the south side of Queen St. West, starting at Spadina and heading west. At Bathurst there is a slight detour because someone built a Loblaws grocery store and a condo in the way. But just turn south to Richmond and walk a short distance west. On your right there is a small alley; follow this lane to almost Dufferin street – if there is no construction in the way!

I have walked this route many times. Sometimes there are new things to see, or changes have occurred. Sometimes I just notice things that I missed on previous visits.

Larger than life. The woman on red has been there since the first time I walked this way a couple of years ago. The aquatic scenes on the building across the alley are a more recent addition.

Tom and Jerry and their never ending chase scene.

The alley changes with the seasons. Even here there is greenery.

Sunshine and shadows in the lane.

Above the alley. She now appears in a few places.

Tag, baker, inserted between two windows

I just want people to like me. A sticker in McDougall Lane, a good use of US Priority Mail labels.

I resurrect the destructed poster with a few tags added accompanied by a girl with a broken heart.

Black and white graffiti on a wall and door. There is life sized picture of a man on the door. He is holding a red heart in his hands.

He evolves. First his face was added – with googly eyes and his tongue stuck out. Now he seems to be anatomically correct as well!

Graffiti of many caricature images of Rob Ford. Most are black and white but one is red and white. Some of the edges are beginning to rip.

Starting to fray at the edges

back of a building on Queen St. that has a large red and blue tag on it. There is a large green skull-like picture on the door. Four blue recylcing bins are by the door.

Garbage bins guarding the door.

Uber's yellow bird is laughing and drinking something from a can. Somone has added the words grain fed to his forehead.

I’m not sure what he’s drinking, but apparently he’s grain fed. He looks a bit grubby because he’s sitting on the ground next to the dust and dirt in the lane.

A smiling Cheshire Cat and a few other creatures.

7 kids, 7 sticks and a spinning plate

Posted: August 14, 2013 in events
Tags: crowd, Dundas Square, entertainment, John Park, kids, metal plate, spinning, spinning plate, sticks, Toronto

Dundas Square, 9 Aug

A recipe for entertainment. Good for all ages, especially good for the kids.

Without talking,

Find seven kids,
Line them up from tallest to shortest,
Give each one a wooden stick.
Spin a metal plate,
Put it on top of the first child’s stick.
Have them pass the plate to the next child’s stick.
Attempt to get the plate passed all the way down the line.

Two girls. One girl is passing a spinning metal plate to the other while a group of people look on.

The number of different colours, shapes and sizes of the faces in this photo captured my attention… and they’re all looking at the plate.

Take a bow when the job is done! If you want more information, the link is: http://www.johnparkcomedy.com/

And the band played on

Posted: August 10, 2013 in events
Tags: band, camera, Dundas Square, iphone, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, music, photographer, Toronto, Yonge Dundas Square

The original plan was to visit Dundas Square for their 10th birthday party. Love it or hate it, Dundas Square is now ten years old. Maybe one day I’ll call it by it’s proper name, Yonge Dundas Square. I was going to do a blog post on the events of the evening.

The official party was to start at 7:00. One of the opening acts was the Lemon Bucket Orkestra; their website describes them as a balkan klezmer gypsy party punk superband. During the last song that they played, they moved through the square towards the stage.

And this is where I changed course. Most people made room for the musicians, moved out of their way. But not one “photographer”. He stood his ground; he got up close and personal photos on his phone. My focus shifted from the music to the man in the middle.

Was he intrusive? Should he have moved?

If you want to know more about the Lemon Bucket Orkestra: http://www.lemonbucket.com/

man with an iphone standing in front of the Lemon Bucket Orkestra as they walk through Dundas Square.

first photo

man taking pictures of a group of musicians, a drummer, a clarinet player, some violins and a flugelhorn

second photo

third photo

man is standing in the middle of a group of musicians, the Lemon Bucket Orkestra, as it walks through Dundas Square.

last photo

Nathan Phillips Square on a sunny long week-end

Posted: August 7, 2013 in events, locations
Tags: archer, August, dancing, irie, irie festival, live music, music, Nathan Phillips, people, performance, reggae, Samba Squad, summer, sunshine, Toronto, tourists

This year the long August week-end (Aug 3, 4 and 5) was warm and sunny. Like most summer week-ends in Toronto, there was lots going on. On both Sunday and Monday afternoon I dropped by the IRIE festival at Nathan Phillips Square.

people watching a performance at Nathan Phillips Square on a sunny afternoon

There was a small but appreciative crowd at Nathan Phillips Square on Sunday afternoon for the IRIE festival.

Samba Squad, a group of musicians, performs on stage.

Samba Squad performing on Sunday afternoon.

4 men dancing on a stage. they are wearing green pants and white sleeveless T-shirts.

They were called the TD dancers and they were one of the opening acts on Monday afternoon.

A man and a woman dancing. The woman has long hair that is bouncing around as she moves.

Their performance was twelve minutes of non-stop, high energy movement.

Seeking shade and a place to rest.

Two Asian male photographers and their cameras with very long lenses taking pictures of a performance on the stage at Nathan Phillips Square.

There were not a lot of cameras clicking away during the performances that I saw. One exception were the four men with their long lenses that stopped by for a few minutes, took some photos, and left. I thought of African safaris as I watched them.

A girls wearing a light blue jacket is standing beside the pool at Nathan Phillips Square while her mother takes her picture. The mother is wearing light blue pants and is holding a light blue umbrella.

Photo op in light blue.

Nathan Phillips Square from the south, showing one of the arches over the fountain. Some vendors are there as well as some tourists and other people enjoying the sunny afternoon.

There were also a few vendors selling food & drink, clothing, and jewelry. Mostly it was a pleasant way to spend some time on a sunny summer afternoon.

Arts & Crafts at the Distillery District

Posted: August 6, 2013 in events
Tags: arts, bookmarks, crafts, Distillery District, events, fabric, felt, magic, magic show, Max, Oula, Oula design, Sylwanka, Toronto, vendors

It was a beautiful sunny holiday Monday. I spent a short time at the distillery district with a friend. A cold drink, seventy different arts & crafts vendors from Ontario and Quebec, and a magic show, added up to a pleasant couple of hours.

pieces of felt in blue, red, grey and yellow hanging in a vendor's stall at an arts and crafts fair

A number of vendors were selling clothing, wall hangings, and other items, made from interesting fabrics.

A man is selling T-shirts with scenes of Toronto on them. He is talking to a woman who is looking at the t-shirts.

T-shirts with Toronto scenes…. the skyline, a wall from Ossington subway station, a bench at Runnymede, a street car, and other Toronto scenes. For more designs see Oula Design at http://www.ouladesign.com

Bookmarks made from metal and colourful stones.

a light blue onesie with a diagram of a pair of lungs silkscreened on it.

Clothing with silkscreened or embroidered body parts on them made by Sylwanka Clothing. A onesie with lungs, and behind it panties with something else.

little pillows for sale that have the words "Do Not Disturb" embroidered on them

Do Not Disturb the pillows

Max the magician uses his magic wand to tap on a lemon.

Max the magician and his grand finale involving 3 cups, 3 little baseballs, one large baseball, a melon, numerous oranges and a twenty dollar bill in a lemon. The girl in purple was so expressive throughout the show – she was quiet but her body language was marvellous.

I hear that they are about to be exes. Maybe it had something to do with his balls……

four children sitting on the ground and watching a magic show. Three are smiling, one is looking skeptical.

One is more skeptical than the others! (watching Max’s magic show)

3 legs - one with black pants, two with black & silver pants. A black and white purse too.

… and of course there was people watching!

Artfest shows are held a few times a year in both Toronto and Kingston. For more information on Artfest, check their website! http://artfestontario.com/artfest-shows/

First Toronto Japanese Summer Festival

Posted: July 28, 2013 in events
Tags: crowds, drawing, Dundas Square, festival, geisha, Japanese, kids, kimono, parasol, people, Pokemon, red parasol, summer, sunglasses, T-shirts, Toronto

Dundas Square, Sunday July 28

I happened upon this festival this afternoon. It was crowded but everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Many people were out at Dundas Square this afternoon enjoying the perfect summer afternoon.

There were displays and activities. You could make buttons, practice calligraphy or try your hand origami.

two girls dressed in kimonos trying to grab a small inflated balloon that is floating in water.

Catch a bobbing balloon with a tiny hook!

Display of T-shirts for sale. They have Japanese writing on them. One is the character for energy and the other is the character for "be yourself'

T-shirts were some of the things that were available for sale.

A man wearing a Pokemon mask on the side of his head. Also in the photo is a small boy wearing a fedora but falling asleep on his father's shoulder

There were also masks for sale.

A woman wearing a kimono made of fabric that is covered with red maple leaves.

Many woman wearing kimonos in all colours and variety of fabrics. Some men were wearing the male equivalent (sorry, I have forgotten the name). There was a kimono fashion show as well.

Streetfest – Beaches Jazz Festival

Posted: July 26, 2013 in events
Tags: beach, Beach Boys food, beaches, churros, crowds, dancing, Dr. Draw, Erin McCallum, event, food, food trucks, gmmf, God Made Me Funky, Gorilla Cheese, happy, hats, jazz, Juice, kids, music, people, Phusion, Queen St. East, smiles, street, street festival, sunglasses, Toronto

Streetfest, part of the Beaches International Jazz Festival, was held 25, 26 and 27 July this year. About 2 km of Queen St. East is closed to traffic so pedestrians can enjoy the music provided by many bands representing a diverse array of music genres. On both Thursday and Friday evening when I was there the weather was perfect and the atmosphere was fun. I hope that I have been able to capture the spirit of the event!

Music, food, shopping, and most of all, people watching!