CABBAGETOWN Arts and Crafts Show 2015

Howdy!

BUSY DAYS....am I right????
Let's get to it y'all.......let me tell you about my next show…..

The Cabbagetown Arts and Crafts Sale…..

IT IS MY LAST OUTDOOR SHOW OF THE YEAR!
HUZZAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would love you to come out to this great show!!!

The deets this year are as follows:
Visit the 2015 sale:

Friday, September 11      from   1.00 - 7.00 p.m.
Saturday, September 12 from 10.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Sunday, September 13   from  10.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m. 
MORE Information for Visitors

EVERY year it is a little rainy - but let's hope it is nice and warm...……fingers crossed!!

To get there…….

Now, I will be showing my prints and my merch at this show…..
and some great paintings too!!!!

Come on out!

I'd love to see ya!

For more info on The Cabbagetown Arts and Crafts Sale

You can follow them on Pinterest, 

or check them out on the Facebook!

KENSINGTON MARKET ART FAIR…..NEW PRINTS….AND STUFF……..

Howdee!
It's Monday, and I have a bunch of stuff I wanna share with you today!
Let's do it to it, y'all! (Sorry - sometimes I break into 70's disco slang, ya' jive turkey's!)

I was THRILLED to have a few pieces find great homes this week.
I always talk about the "right" person finding the "right" piece……(and I can feel some of you rolling your eyes in your head)….but it is totally true! Eventually almost every painting finds it's home!!
I paint things that I LOVE, and as many of you know, my work and my personality are pretty similar……a little off kilter…….so it takes a certain type of person to really like my art! So when they do it is an affirmation about my art….and honestly…...maybe about my personality!?
YIKES!
It means that when people really "don't get it" (and let's face it - it happens) it kinda still stings a little bit. In fact someone at the Toronto Outdoor Show this year said that right to me!!
"Are you the artist? Because I really don't get this!"
I went in to explain my process and such…..(thinking that it would illuminate her dimly lit mind)….
and after I had finished….she said….
"Um, ya, I get HOW you are doing it….but i just don't see why!"
Then I punched her in the face thanked her for her honesty, and told her that "I guess every art is not for every person"……thinking that was the most polite way of handling her…..to which she replied
"That's for sure!"
THEN I PUNCHED THAT BITCH IN THE FACE.
Just kidding ;-)
I told her that I really didn't "get" her personality……or her shoe choice…...
JUST KIDDING AGAIN….I wish I had, but I am just NOT that rude to strangers.
I am fortunate that the opposite side of this story is more frequent!

This weekend, one piece that I was happy to see leave my studio - to find its forever home was this one:

"Riverdale Farm",  36" x 24", Acrylic on Canvas

Yes…..many of you who are regular readers……remember this poster I did as charity work for a VERY WORTHY cause….Riverdale Farm Aid……which raised a BUNCH of money for the Farm!
To find out more about Riverdale farm see this post of my blog……but then…..I KNOW you have  already read it……right regular readers????
ANYWAY…..so I was happy it found a loving home!
Speaking of finding a home…….another piece that I hope finds a new home is this big boy……
"Outta this World" is a 40" x 60" Giclèe print of an original painting - BUT then I wasn't happy with the look so I spent another full day repainting on top! Now I love it….and I want you to love it too…….

I showed it at Kensington Market Art Fair 2 months ago……and I really want him to find a home.
HE IS HUGE…..and is therefore priced at $500 bucks (which is still pretty G.D. CHEAP!)
And he was a hit at K.M.A.F….so much so that I created smaller giclèes…..

As always this FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC piece is a limited edition number of professionally printed art pieces. It is printed on acid-free watercolour paper and then signed and numbered by me!
He comes in 2 different sizes…..an 8" x 10"is $35.00
and a 16" x 20" is $75 bones! I think this one will be a big seller - the 'bots tend to move pretty fast!!

COME OUT THIS WEEKEND and buy one of these new prints (or buy his bigger hand painted cousin) at:

Kensington Market Art Fair

Sunday, July 27th - 11am-6pm

You couldn't buy my reproduction works at The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, BUT you CAN buy some great stuff at this outdoor event as part of "Pedestrian Sundays" in historic Kensington Market! 

I REEEEEAALLY hope you can come out!!
And remember…if you make it out……and you "don't get" someone's art….it is TOTALLY okay….but don't be a D-bag and TELL THEM! They put their heart into it……
Not that you would. All my readers are WAY too sophisticated!!!
Have a great week friends!

MORE RIVERDALE FARM……..AND A NEW PAINTING FOR T.O.A.E.!!!

Howdy!!!
So….last night was the big fundraiser at The Riverdale Farm -- Riverdale Farm Aid!
If you don't know about the farm - READ THIS POST….it will tell you everything you should know!
Done? Ok…..so now you know I did the poster for this event…..here it is in Cabbagetown…….

So…then after I did THIS poster…..I did a version of it that could be sold at the event.

This painting looked like this:

"Riverdale Farm", 36" x 24", Acrylic on canvas

Nice huh?!

Sorry…..you can't buy the original…….that is sold! (huzzah)

BUT……you can buy a VERY LIMITED EDITION print…..

There are only 10 of them…..here they are getting ready for framing:

They were framed up by Akasha Gallery.

Not only is Akasha a GREAT framer - but they have an excellent space that shows exhibitions of photo based art. You MUST MUST MUST go and check them out at:

511 Church Street, Suite #200 (upstairs)

Kelly and Sonja are lovely….and they will take good care of you!!

(and the art they show is really BEEEEAUTIFUL work!!!)

At the fundraiser last night,  I only took a couple of photos…..

This was one I liked a lot…..

(that is smoke from the pea meal on a bun booth….mmmmmm…….)
Ok……in other Riverdale Farm news, I just finished this piece……

"Look to the Past",  36" x 12", Acrylic and mixed media on Canvas

I LOVE THIS PIECE…..
It is Riverdale Farm on top…..and a retro tractor on the bottom.
The tractor is painted on wood and attached to the canvas (as it the black painted moulding)

THIS piece will be shown at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition….
(MORE INFO ON TOAE HERE)
What do you think???

Ok….have a great weekend y'all!!!!

WW172: RIVERDALE FARM AID, 99% INVISIBLE, and One Take Movies

Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday!!!
Here are the 5 things I want you to love this week……

1.) Riverdale Farm. Ok….as many of you know, I am only one generation away from the farm. My relatives still run the family farm in Port Burwell, Ontario. So somewhere in me there is a farm boy just waiting to be get out!! (ok…maybe WAAAAAY deep - but still) That is partly why I love Riverdale Farm!

Riverdale Farm is a 7.4-acre municipally operated farm in the heart of Cabbagetown, Toronto. From 1888 to 1974, it was the site of the Riverdale Zoo (which in 1974 relocated to become the Toronto Zoo).  In 1978 the farm was reborn! Nowadays….the farm is open to the public all year-round. It specializes in pioneer breeds of farm animals that are hard to find on commercial farms. It is an example of a typical Ontario farm from between 1880 and 1920. 'sAnimals at the farm include poultry, waterfowl, goats, sheep, pigs, cows, donkeys, and horses.

There is a TONNE of great programming and I really believe that it is VITAL for kids who grow up in big cities to UNDERSTAND why farming is important.

Riverdale farm's funding (like many important Toronto attractions) came very close to being cut by the current mayor of Toronto last year! But thankfully was saved at the last moment….in no small part, thanks to the Riverdale Farm Stewardship Group. One event that I am pleased to be associated with that helps raise funds for the farm is:

Yes…I did this poster….a version of which will be sold to raise $$ for the farm!

The RFSG will work closely with the local Ward Councillor, City staff and Riverdale Farms’ numerous stakeholders, partners, and members of the general public to create new and vibrant partnerships that inform, educate and increase public awareness of the role farms have played and continue to play in our lives, now and for future generations.

The goal of the RFSG is to secure a stable and sustainable funding base to offset the operating costs of Riverdale Farm and ensure existing service levels are maintained or enhanced while remaining accessible to the public.

Come out this week (tomorrow) and help support this awesome cause!!! Here is what you will enjoy for only $10!!

More info at RIVERDALE FARM AID.COM

Great GREAT GGGRRREEEAAAT and worthy cause!

2.)  I got this from someone on Facebook…but I am already implementing like 5 of these tips in my life…..It's REdick! (that is hipster talk for ridiculous!) 50 Life  Hacks to Simplfy your World….check it out!!!

I like these ones…

BUT THERE ARE LOTS MORE…

Check it out at http://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/

3.) 99% INVISIBLE. OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS PODCAST!!!! Honestly….this is really an outstanding podcast…..

What's it about??

99% Invisible is a tiny radio show about design, architecture & the 99% invisible activity that shapes our world. The show started life as a project of KALW public radio in San Francisco and the American Institute of Architects in San Francisco. We are distributed by PRX on PRX Remix and public radio stations around the country.

We are a completely independent production and raise all of our funds directly from the listeners, most notably from our record breaking Kickstarter campaign, and from podcast underwriters.

"99% Invisible…is completely wonderful and entertaining and beautifully produced…”
-Ira Glass, This American Life

I really cannot say enough about this show…so freaking interesting!!!!!! 

And for those of you who have little time…..each "episode" is less than 30 minutes of BLISS!!

Go to their SITE HERE….

or go to iTunes!

(thanks to Deb for this one!)

4.) ok….nerds and design freaks…..I give you the Inception Dishrack…….THIS IS STUNNING….it almost makes me want to clean dishes….with my hands……like a pioneer……

Inspired by the movie of the same name, designer Luca Nichetto has created this SPECTACULAR silicone tabletop dish rack (or desk organizer).

TO FIND OUT WHO SELLS IT….CLICK HERE….

(VIA IFITSHIPITSHERE)

5.) ok…not sure if this is as funny as most of my #5's…..but I WAS AMAZED BY THIS…

(Cheepay - you must check this out!) "ONE TAKE MOVIES" = Ah-MAH-zing!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeatc2r4udg#t=104