Urbandreamer tours the indie art galleries....

As an art lover (but not an art snob I like checking out all the indie galleries along Queen St W/E, Ossington, Dundas St W, Morrow Ave, the Junction, Yorkville, etc so I thought I'd share photos of changing exhibitions from time to time. Not really into Paul Petro's art, and am not really a fan of the artists shown here, but hey this past Sunday I grabbed a photo of the latest exhibit:



Feel free to add your photos--the vision I have is to limit photos to exterior shots--as passersby/vehicular traffic sees the art! Art snobs, you can discuss the art if you want, but generally the idea is to look at the photos.

Today I had fun on West Queen West....

...making the hipsters/gallery goers uncomfortable? I love it! But wonder, why do I see so few Torontonian's photographing people on the street etc?

So I snapped the entire W-Q-W (and Ossington) gallery zone this afternoon (6 April 2008).... A few good shows to see hope you enjoy! Go check out the galleries next weekend!

Let's begin just West of Trinity Bellwood's Park:





Let's take a jog up Ossington now and see if anything interesting strikes your fancy....
Risa, I missed your show...again.




Meanwhile, back on W Queen W heading towards the Drake....


Now this is some interesting art!




Another favourite:



That's all for now, see you next week ...!

Oops...

I missed one right opposite the boho embassy site!



Ps: Is red neon driver stalking me?

And yes I kept walking--all the way home--through Parkdale when I spotted this gallery show but was too lazy to get a good close up. For now, this'll have to do:

I like the sort of random way you presented these in different sizes. Dont know if that was intentional but it seemed sort of arty and looks more interesting that way. I was in town yesterday and snapped off several indie galleries along Dundas W. with you in mind. Gimme a day or two to sort through all my photos and I'll add them here!

Good: I look forward to your contribution!

It sort of just turned out that way (part intentional, part random) re: presentation; I too really like the way it looks.

A couple across from AGO

Bau-Xi Gallery


Petroff Gallery

Nice snaps there redroom! I was at Bau-Xi on Saturday, but didn't have my camera with me. That gallery tends to display what I call "polite corporate art."

Now this topic is really for another thread, but I find the North side of Dundas (opposite AGO) has tremendous potential! Leave the architecture/buildings alone, but add in funky little cafes with patios: It reminds me of St Denis street Montreal.

I dont know if Ive ever been in a gallery - I feel guilty knowing I havent any intention (or money) to purchase anything.

Yes, i love this stretch of Dundas too... I like your idea to liven it up a bit, though space seems pretty tight there. I like the neighbourhoods just north of here along McCaul and Baldwin Streets where you do get an interesting mix of galleries and cafes and restaurants and other quirky places...

Don't worry, I rarely buy art--actually only once did I buy a painting in the thousands of times I've visited galleries. I'd say 95% of gallery goers do not buy art. The ones that do, either go to the openings or are friends of the artist or live in Forest Hill.... You see them hanging around the back at Stephen Bulger's gallery, whispering away all secretive and talking in polite mumble-jumble.... Or they buy artists they went to school with; for example, many of the artists displaying art on the Ossington strip are people I went to school with (many from the Erindale Art/Art History program.) In Toronto, the art scene is a small incestuous party of ...snobs? (I'm not really part of the scene, I just like looking at art and especially, the cute girls that love hanging around art galleries.... I usually avoid the big openings--I hate crowds....

So go and join the 95% of posers that enjoy art from a distance! I started this thread to help out people like myself--kind of shy, or "outside" the scene but are curious about those artsy folk. Maybe next time you're in Toronto Redroom Studios, you can team up with me and we'll become the snobs! (Besides, obviously you're an artist too--do you ever show your photos at galleries?)

I was supposed to be an artist too--but I'm too lazy to get my hands dirty, I have a hatred of the entire business of art gallery agents, blah blah blah.... However, art school taught me that I love being a critic! (It always bugged me that university teaches art, but doesn't have a program designed to train people to be art critics!) I spent more time criticizing fellow students art (and was damned good at it than working on my own assignments.

Exposing art for the UT viewer,

u_d

I adore visual stimulation. What's more fun than a Saturday afternoon art crawl, feasting parched eyes on brand new creations of the imagination, and soaking up the messages they convey?

cool... ya, I'll get in touch with you next time I'm up in the big city!

US - what's better? doing all this while drinking red wine and snacking on cheese and crackers...

Found another one: Roberts Gallery - Yonge St near Charles. I do like the abstract patches of colour on those prints in the upper window. That one on the left would work in my apartment.

I like the painting on the upper right@Roberts Gallery. These paintings remind me of staring at aerial shots of farmer's fields, or even google satellite views of Toronto building lots. Or perhaps some mid-western States? Very interesting!

Makes me realize why I love this thread idea: I can sit back in the comfort of my own home and begin to interpret/understand the art each time I view the photos! Often, in public, especially Toronto the polite, I feel uncomfortable making judgements on art. Whenever I do, people get all offended and upset. (I'm harsh and loud mouthed in my criticisms.

For some reason, I've never been in this gallery: something about it intimidates me. Maybe its unexpected location? Or the surly guy that hangs around the entrance? Or the "establishment" feel to the joint?

Redroom, your photoshop style really shines in these art gallery shots! Maybe your new art project?

Ps: The one thing that bugs me about Roberts Gallery now that I am staring at it: the Canadian flag looks so lame and cheesy here! Get rid of it you gallery owner it detracts from the art!

Roberts Gallery is very famous. Painters Eleven had their first show there in the '50s. Members of the Group of Seven showed there in the '20s. It's the oldest independent fine art gallery in the country.

urbandreamer said:

I started this thread to help out people like myself--kind of shy, or "outside" the scene but are curious about those artsy folk.

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Often, in public, especially Toronto the polite, I feel uncomfortable making judgements on art. Whenever I do, people get all offended and upset. (I'm harsh and loud mouthed in my criticisms.

Click to expand...

So go and join the 95% of posers that enjoy art from a distance!

Click to expand...

...making the hipsters/gallery goers uncomfortable? I love it!

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In Toronto, the art scene is a small incestuous party of ...snobs?

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I spent more time criticizing fellow students art (and was damned good at it than working on my own assignments.

Click to expand...

Wow, for the good of the city, please stay at home and keep typing moronic comments rather than visiting art galleries and making a fool of yourself.

Where's that "ignore" button?