Art and antlers

Call me stupid, but I was expecting something quite different from the Toronto Outdoor Art show - namely, outdoor art (sculpture, installations and wot not, specifically for displaying in the public domain), not just art being sold outdoors. But enough of these semantic preoccupations. It was still a very pleasant way to spend a weekend afternoon, although the oppressive weather conspired to make walking around 900 stalls selling loads of art even more of a marathon than it would be normally.
Julie Moon, whose work is way out of my price range, provided some sublime eye candy and I enjoyed the playful mixed media works and drawings of Meghan Barton (not least because they feature lighthouses and antlers, and I've just returned from a trip around Nova Scotia).

Cartoon politician

The fluffy white hair, the slightly over-sized head, the grey suits; thank goodness these are the only things that Toronto's David Miller and London's new Mayor have in common. Dear Lord, it's taken more than a week for the news of shamblingly idiotic Tory Boris Johnson's London mayoral election win to sink in, and me to commit anything to paper.
As a northerner, I have resisted jumping aboard the anti-Cockney 'all Londoners are self-serving prats' wagon in the past. But perhaps I was wrong. After all they just voted in a self-serving, possibly racist, definitely homophobic Etonian into office. Yes, the man who took the post from Ken Livingstone's only managerial experience is as editor of The Spectator (robustly conservative UK politico mag).
So, am I glad that I am now living in a progressive Canadian city where people at least appear to give a damn about each other? Of course. I will never complain about Toronto's under-funded arts scene again. Probably.

Idle Tigress

Rather seasonally, my writing life has finally begun to bloom in the last few weeks. It's a positive development for my purse, but less so for the blog, which got relegated to back burner for a few weeks.

Still, so much to report in those weeks! Namely the fact there's another Yorkshireperson in Toronto. Ok, that may not be surprising in itself, but when you consider that person is a electro noise-making pixie called Idle Tigers who uses Jake Thackray (late poet and singer-songwriter from Pickering, North Yorkshire) and the Bronte sisters for lyrical inspiration, plucks away at a red mandolin and wears a neckerchief, by eck, it's worth an essay in itself.
I'll save that for another day however, and suggest you read my review of his gig (with Seattle's Throw Me the Statue, April 4) in next month's Exclaim! instead.

The return

A trip home to England explains my tardy posting. Such was the whistle-stop nature of the visit, I didn't get to a see all my friends, let alone a computer.
I did however, manage to get a small arts and culture fix. The BBC's Culture Show was heralding the rise of the YBF - the Young British Female recording artist. Following in the wake of Lily Allen and Winehouse, the Joni M-likened Laura Marling, Wales's Duffy and London soul-jazz starlet Adele as do suggest they are on to something. The latter (the new Amy Winehouse apparently) plays Toronto on March 26, so we can make up our minds then, I suppose. The artists on Later With Jools Holland, the UK's long-running music show, were uncharacteristically disappointing though, except for nerd electro-ists Hot Chip of course, who I managed to get a ticket for when they play the GTA in April. Hurray.
It made me realise how much I miss the BBC's cultural programming, digital radio and warm beer. Not the weather however, which, in an apparent disregard for my visitation rights, was unexplicably cold (minus 6 one day). No respite from the Great White's chill or weatherspeak then...

Craft attack

Lucky old me gets to attend this exciting symposium at Harbourfront in a couple of weeks....

Landmark symposium delves into the history and innovations of Canadian Craft
Crafting New Traditions: Canadian Innovators + Influences Symposium
February 22 and February 23, 2008 at Harbourfront Centre

Crafting New Traditions: Canadian Innovators + Influences Symposium is the first time that Canada's craft practice will be explored from a historical and contemporary artistic perspective - through the minds and voices of some of Canada's most influential curators, artists and academics. This symposium includes three keynote speakers and ten respected researchers from across Canada examining the influences and accomplishments of prominent Canadian craft pioneers working in ceramics, glass, metal, textiles and wood. These presentations coincide with the launch of the book Crafting New Traditions: Canadian Innovators and Influences - published by the Canadian Museum of Civilization (as part of their Mercury series), in collaboration with Harbourfront Centre.

So, seemingly, my arts and culture blog has metaphorphasised into a craft blog. But frankly, Toronto already has plenty of quality craft blogs. So, what should I do?

Boulevard of broken seams

Okay, so this rather wonderful and witty title is actually borrowed from the name of a alteration and clothing store on College where I tried to get the vintage dress I just bought fixed. It was closed. So instead I enlisted the help of Karyn at the Workroom to help ME fix it and I now have a dress which skims not suffocates. Right now I am feeling rather pleased with myself having mended a pre-loved dress and saved myself a buck or two.
More news soon. Meantime, I am busying myself at the desk my boyfriend has lovingly dubbed 'the button station' creating everlasting button bouquets, clocks and such for the fast-approaching Valentines Trunk Show.

Questions for Crafters

Some of you may have noticed the Questions for Crafters section I have started writing for Toronto Craft Alert. A weeklyish addition to TCA where we give the interesting crafters, shop owners, galleries and co-operatives of our city the third degree, each profile attempts to to find exactly what out exactly what kinds of crafting goodness are getting interviewees inspired, wired and tired.
In case you don't check that wonderful blog spot, you can check it out here