Shaun DowneyRight – Pink Coco Drawing: brown conte pencil and white pastel pencil on paper.
Left – Pink Coco painting: Oil on canvas on panel. By Shaun Downey.
Shaun Downey is literally watching paint dry. He has finished sanding down his canvases and has applied another coat of gesso to both and is waiting for me patiently while I finish up with Kyle. The fans are aimed and at maximum speed, drying the canvases as fast as possible so that Shaun can put down another layer of gesso. "I need a really smooth surface because I do not want anything interfering with the painting. A texture blip that shows up in the ... Read more »
KyleStewartOil Painting by Kyle Stewart.
Kyle Stewart has been busily painting while I have been chatting with Gosia. The piece that he is working on is large and reminiscent of field grass just turning to its fall hue. What strikes me the most about Kyle's painting is that it could be representative or non-representative depending on the viewer. "My paintings are abstract and at the same time ... Read more »
Gosia_baitedhookhandmadeSticks in a basket beside a painting in Gosia's studio.
What better way to end a work week. I am picking up my Date Night pieces from Kelly Grace and also interviewing 3 artists for my next blog. Gosia, Kyle Stewart and Shaun Downey are all ... Read more »
Saskia van KampenHat on a Windy Day. Mixed media. By Saskia van Kampen.
I met Raymond many years ago at our Singing From Scratch class taught by Linda Eyman. Raymond was convinced he was made for the stage while I decided that my talents lay elsewhere and I ended my singing lessons after a rather embarrassing ... Read more »
Scribble_ChristineKimScribble. An installation by Christine Kim.
It is 6:00 PM. I am sitting on the front steps of a lovely old Toronto townhouse in Mirvish Village watching pedestrians and cyclists as they pass me by. This is such an inspiring little street – lined with galleries and studios, neat pubs, eclectic restaurants and my favourite book store – The Beguiling. The door behind me opens. I gather my things and introduce myself to Christine Kim. I follow her inside, up some ... Read more »
MoxyTootsBucky by Moxy+Toots
I never get tired of walking through the One of a kind show. There's always something unexpected and always something I can't resist buying. This year I had to buy Bucky. What caught my eye with Bucky was the fact that he is a rectangle. That's it! There were other munchkins that were circles and even some that had arms and legs but the rectangle sealed the deal with me – simple but wonderfully sweet. I will be sad to part with him in a month when I give him to my nephew, who is just about at the tooth-loosing age. Bucky doubles as a tooth fairy pillow – his heart patch is a pocket for teeth to btraded for cold hard cash! Bucky was made by Moxy + Toots.
TheSigningSparrowKimono Pajamas in Action by The Signing Sparrow
I also bumped into my neighbour Carmina Scott who makes children's clothes under the name The Singing Sparrow. This was her first experience at the One of a Kind. The clothes are bright and colourful. "The fabrics are carefully
chosen and are of high quality natural fibers." Her website promotes the fact that "she does her best to reduce waste by upcycling scraps of fabric to create even more beautiful and useful kids products like toy bags, quilts and appliqués." Congratulations Carmina!
True Sew TextilesOne of a Kind Booth Display and Textile Design by True Sew Textiles
Another treat was seeing an OCADU student –True Sew Textiles by Joanna Schleimer. Her products are naturally simple – even her booth was sophisticated in it's minimalism. All of her designs are done by hand - she weaves her own fabrics and hand sews the designs onto them. Truely lovely to see.
Just another 8 months until the Christmas Show!
Bell Urban Art Project
The never ending arguments for and against graffitti will continue, I'm sure, until the end of time. The fact is – you really can't stop it. Mississauga wants to ban anyone under legal age from buying spray paint, broad-tipped markers or glass-cutting tools as these are all considered ... Read more »
Detail from a piece by Lee Richmond.Detail from a piece by Lee Richmond.
I was surprised when I walked through the door of Lee Richmond's house. The living room was open, with lovely high ceilings, minimal furniture, little to no curios or bric-a-brac and everything was in it's proper place. There were only 2 pieces of art – one very large painting, by Lee, leaning against the living room wall and a framed black and white line drawing hanging beside the dining table. The reason for my surprise is that every artist's home or studio I have seen has been more cluttered with either walls jammed with art, stacks of supplies on desks or in corners, lots of "whatnot" sitting around or just complete and utter chaos. Lee is a collage artist, which is a ... Read more »
Date Night Series by Kelly Grace1, 2 and 3 from the Date Night series by Kelly Grace.
I am sitting in a neat little coffee shop in Leslieville, sipping a massive cappuccino and listening to my nifty new voice recorder. I just met with Kelly Grace. I had seen her mixed media pieces at the last few One of a Kind shows and each time I have fallen more and more in love with her "Date Night" series. That seems to be the way I buy art; I have to wait and if I keep thinking about it I know it's right. The other day these pieces popped back into my head so I decided to act and what a great reason to jump back into my blog writing.
I got utterly lost trying to find the studio that Kelly shares with ... Read more »