A wide variety of local artists displayed their work at the Danforth East Arts Fair in East Lynn Park last weekend. (Doha Hanno/ToRONTO OBSERVER)
For artist Julie Glick, it’s all about the dogs.
“It’s hard to knowingly run into cat-people on the street and go, ‘Hey, I do cats!’ but dogs are always part of the conversation,” says Glick, who specializes in paintings of pets and was one of over 60 local artists at last weekend’s annual Danforth East Arts Fair in East Lynn Park.
“About 13 years ago, I adopted my dog and there was a little neighbourhood gallery just up here on Danforth and I went in one day and said, ‘Hey, how about I do an exhibition on dogs? It will be a great community effort and a great way to bring people from the neighbourhood to your gallery!’ and he said OK, and ever since then I’ve been doing pet paintings.”
Julie Glick’s artwork at the Danforth East Arts Fair. Though she specializes in pets, she is branching out to painting botanicals and creating play-work pottery sculptures. (Doha Hanno/Toronto Observer)
The event, which includes food, live acoustic music, and children’s activities, is Toronto’s largest not-for-profit, most family-friendly arts fair. It’s hosted by the Danforth East Community Association (DECA), a volunteer-run residents association dedicated to making positive changes to the East York community. Professor, journalist and community-activities coordinator Mary Cowan founded the fair, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.
“There was a need for events in the community to support local artists, and that’s what we’re doing with this fair,” says Amanda Olson, who ran this year’s fair. “Everything is a hundred per cent hand-crafted, and it ranges from photography to T-shirts to ceramic bowls and oil paintings.”
An acoustic music performance at the Danforth East Arts Fair featured the duo of Jeremy and Jenn. (Doha Hanno/ToRONTO OBSERVER)
Another artisan at this year’s fair, Henry VanderSpek, is a photojournalist from Culture Snap Photography.
“I meet people, interview them, take their portraits, take detailed shots of their work,” says VanderSpek. “I also do street photography, which I show and sell as art images. Those two areas are both my loves — people and their stories, and then the street scenes that I capture.”
Henry VanderSpek brought a selection of framed photographs and pillows to the East York Arts Fair. (Doha Hanno/TORONTO OBSERVER)
This year’s event was bigger than ever before thanks to all the hardworking volunteers and sponsors who dedicate their time to supporting the East York art community.