May 2011
23 posts
SAVE OUR NEON BIKE!
RE-CYCLING
The idea for THE GOOD BIKE PROJECT came to me as I was cleaning the windows of the OCAD U Student Gallery on Dundas Street West. I was lost in thought, staring at this old rusted Raleigh bicycle, which is locked up to the bike post outside the gallery. It occurred to me that I’d never seen that Raleigh moved from that spot. It is a permanent fixture on the street, a gorgeous...
Alternative preppy on Bathurst Street.
I like to take the backstreets.
Caroline
THE GOOD COFFEE: SAVING GRACE
Sunday morning are glorious — especially when you meet your friends for a ridiculously amazing brunch at Saving Grace at 907 Dundas St W. (just next door to Ezra’s Pound, another favourite). If you know what you’re doing, you’ll show up in time for opening at 10am because this place gets packed on the weekends! Admittedly, 10am can seem mighty early on some Sundays; so...
More pictures of spring, springing! Here’s hoping that the rain stops again someday.
Vanessa
THE GOOD ARTIST: PETE RYAN
Who are you? my name is Peter Thomas Ryan. My initials are P.T.R – sounded out, they say Peter. I am overly proud of this fact. ————- What is on your ipod / bookshelf? I seem to listen (almost exclusively) to the Beach Boys, and Motorhead. In a perfect world these two groups would have somehow joined forces and solved all world problems with their laid back, extremely...
LAURIE KANG LOVE
Spent my sunny Saturday wandering around downtown and buying (serious) silly things, like these wonderful Canadiana inspired alphabet collage postcards by local artist Laurie Kang, which I found at the Drake General Store. I picked up L[oonie on the rise], 0[utdoor enthusiasm] and N[ation of diversity]. ——- I first came across Kang’s work at the Artist Project Toronto fair,...
Speaking of Fieldguided, I received my very own locally printed Anabela tote in the mail yesterday! I ordered it on Etsy last week, and I’m so thrilled to have it in hand. It’ll be the piece of home that I take with me to Italy next week. Ciao tutti!
Vanessa
Before seeing Bill Cunningham New York (which, for the record is a totally fabulous documentary), I went over to my friends’ apartment for a summer salad and a glass or two of white wine. I had to take some photos of their lovely, curated vignette; the dusk sunlight against the whites and pinks looked oh so Fieldguided. I am especially fond of the dusty-pink bong in between the petite...
MADE Design
MADE is one of Toronto’s leading hubs for innovative and playful (and mostly local) design. Owners Julia Nicholson and Shaun Moore are an extraordinary duo: they design and build their own furniture; they sell the work of other designers; they help clients decorate their homes; and they curate major design events like Radiant Dark and DO DESIGN. On top of this, they are both...
Love for the milk crate
I recently bought my first piece of milk crate furniture from MADE. I have long been infatuated with Julie Nicholson and Shaun Moore’s milk crate designs, and after visiting the store for years and writing a twenty-five page paper called “The Milk Crate Stool: The Biography of An Object”, I simply had to have one. When I proudly announced that I wanted to buy a milk crate...
THE GOOD ARTIST: JILLIAN WOOD
Who are you? Jill Wood. Some people call me Jillian, I think it makes me sound more distinguished. I design and manufacture accessories under the name Headmistress.
What’s on your ipod/bookshelf? My iPod hasn’t been updated since I graduated 3 years ago because I’m very lazy and have started streaming talk radio more. But lately I’ve been revisiting a playlist from a...
Spring blossoms take so long to burst, and then are gone in the blink of an eye. Why must such beauty be so fleeting?
Caroline
TO JAPAN WITH LOVE
This is a pack of sixteen postcards that I bought at Function13 last week. The gallery’s fundraiser, To Japan With Love, displayed prints and postcards made by a collective of artists, all of whom have strong ties to Japan. Although the show ended on May 7, you can still donate to the cause by visiting the collective’s website. Lately, the media has been rather distracted from...
TORONTO COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL 2011
… reprinted from Canadian Art online …
Last weekend, the Toronto Reference Library played host to the sixth Toronto Comic Arts Festival. Featuring more than 200 exhibitors from home and abroad, this was the largest TCAF to date; its size and diversity was a testament to the feel-good optimism inspired by the comic-book form.
In American author Michael Chabon’s 600-page love letter...
Our wonderful city through the eyes of Cecily Vessy — UK based illustrator and creator extraordinaire! I received this wonderful illustration/note in the post today and I can’t stop staring! It perfectly captures what Cecily said of Toronto’s skyline during her recent stay in the city: “it’s positively space-age!”
Vanessa
DANCING IN THE STREETS
On May 1 — to celebrate International Dance Day and the then upcoming election —the esteemed Canadian dancer and choreographer Brian Solomon, along with his dance partners Mariana Medellin-Meinke and Whitney Hewitt, took over the streets of Toronto in a chaotic, fantastic performance called Vote Us that was inspired by the city’s most loved and hated politicians.
I was...
From buds to blooms.
Vanessa
