ONTARIO PLACE :- (

Hey y'all!!!
Sorry I have been a slacker! It has been almost a whole week since I last blogged.
No. Sadly, I have not been vacationing.
I have been super busy painting new work for my October exhibition at Gallery 129 Ossington.
I wanted to show the first piece from that upcoming show.
The exhibition is called "Sign of the Times". It is all poster inspired work.
I will be showing pieces that are all themed around posters and billboards.
I will NOT be showing ANYTHING from my last show...which means I have a boat-load of work to do in the next month and a bit.....but you know how I love a looming crazy-person deadline!!!
So, here is the first new piece for the show:

"Summer Fun", 24" x 36", Acrylic on board.

As you can see it is about Ontario Place.
Here in Toronto, there is a bunch of controversy over the closing of the Ontario theme park.
For those of you not from Ontario here is the wiki-description for Ontario Place:

"Ontario Place WAS a multiple use entertainment and seasonal waterfront park attraction located in Toronto, Ontario, and owned by the Crown in Right of Ontario. It is administered as an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Located on the shore of Lake Ontario, just south of Exhibition Place, it is approximately 4 km west of Downtown Toronto. It opened on May 22, 1971 and consists of three artificially constructed, landscaped islands. Attractions are spread throughout the park, as well as walking trails and food and drink concessions. Traditionally targeted at a family audience, with emphasis on children's activities, the park has a seasonal operating schedule and is closed from October through April, with the exception of the Cinesphere IMAX theatre and private event space. Central to the complex is a public marina and a major concert theatre. Historically, Ontario Place, as a publicly subsidized provincial agency, aims to keep costs, especially for families, lower than comparable attractions. On February 1, 2012, the government announced that the public sections of the park will be CLOSED  and redeveloped, with a targeted completion date of 2017, in time for Canada's 150th anniversary. All Ontario Place facilities will be closed except for the marina, the Molson Amphitheatre, the Atlantis entertainment venue and parking."

SO SAD. 
I would like to believe that the government isn't gonna screw the re-development up.....
BUT......I have serious doubts!!!!! Thus the painting.
As you can see, the poster part is centred around the Cinesphere (as it really is the most iconic building in the complex) The logo and fonts are all made up on the poster part....
The logo on the ticket is very similar to the former logo....although the ticket is made up too.
There is a quote on a piece of accounting paper....that I really like.
I like it because it was from my husband! (or so he keeps telling me)
There is also a wooden nickel...just for fun!
The entire background is like the tiles at Bathurst TTC station (which is one of the ways to get down to the Exhibition area) I liked that it spelled 'thurst' (which sounds like 'thirst')
I think turned out really well!!
What do you think??

TILES OF NEW YORK...abbreviated..

I love New York so much. there is such a sense of history there. Even in the subways. I MARVEL at some of the lovely design tile elements that seem to be in EVERY station. I wanna share some of the many highlights:

As far as the term 'subway tile' goes...........here is an explanation of it's origin: "The 3-by-6-inch sanitary beauties are popular because they are simple, clean and economical, although the cachet of their urban beginnings probably doesn’t hurt their resurgence. The tiles were created more than a century ago by the architects George C. Heins and Christopher Grant La Farge in preparation for the launching in 1904 of the first New York subway. Heins and La Farge were responsible not only for the straightforward tile work but also for most of the original mosaics still visible at many stations."

If you have ever visited NYC, you know the subway system is a labyrinth! 

This is because it is an amalgamation of three separate systems, two of which incorporated earlier urban railway lines. The current New York subway system was formed in 1940 when the IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit), the BMT (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit) and the IND (Independent) lines were merged.

Some of these lines date back as far as 1885!!! Although many stations were products of the 1930's!

So let's start with some oldies:

I could do a whole post on the Fulton Street station and all of its Ah-mah-zing nautical tiles:

ok....more old tiles:

I would love to do a whole post on the 14th station....and how it cha changed over the last 100 years....but I don't want to bore y'all......look at it in it's original splendour...and then the great but kinda sad renovation:

What is remarkable is the new attention to creating fantastic tile elements. I applaud the use of artists to help design the NEW mosaic works in the subway.......here are some of my faves!

Like the animals at 81st (The Museum of Natural History Platform). These are simply amazing!

23rd station is all bout the mosaic tile hats:

Yes....I am a bit of a ham......and tried out MANY of these wall hats.....I just couldn't help myself!

Love these modern ones too:

These Alice in Wonderland themed mosaics are great too:

some more details:

The many eyes of Chambers Street Station:

I leave you with this one.....enlarge it....you won't be sorry!!!

Thanks for reading y'all!!!
I hope you enjoyed to days post!!