citypainter.ca

JULY 2010 | Acrylic on Canvas | 11″ x 14″ | View Larger »

This painting shows the details of some doorways of an abandoned building on the south side of King Street just east of Parliament Street. This is in the Corktown neighbourhood of Toronto, so named because of the large number of immigrants from Cork, Ireland who immigrated to this area during the 1800s, many to work in the nearby Gooderham & Worts Distillery and other surrounding industries.

This particular building is listed in the City of Toronto heritage archives, originally constructed in 1855 and used as a rowhouse and a shop over the years. It is currently a property of the neighbouring Little Trinity Church and is described as part of their ambitious renewal plans that propose restoring only the facade of this building and constructing a new one behind it. Currently, the windows and doors have been covered in plywood topped with a layer of wire mesh to prevent graffiti (with partial success). The grey-yellow surface colouring on the bricks is crumbling, revealing a patchwork of multicoloured bricks underneath. See this building in Google Streetview.

This painting took me forever: I started it many months ago, then let it sit as I got busy with other things before finally finishing it over the course of a couple evenings this week. I’m not thrilled with the outcome, but I think it captures the feel of the original reasonably well, including the brightness of the sun that was beating down on one of the first hot days this past spring.

Information on purchasing prints »

MAY 2010 | Acrylic on Canvas | 6″ x 8″ | View Larger »

This is a view from St. James Park, looking south towards King Street East. The man on the bench is being flocked by pigeons as he feeds them while a TTC 504 streetcar passes by in the background. I think St. James Park is one of Toronto’s nicest (and Toronto Life agrees) especially the southernmost “English Garden” portion which is always carefully planted with lush flowers around a fountain. This spring all the tulips are purple.

I’m not sure what inspired me to try to fit so much detail into a tiny canvas. This was meant to be a quick sketch but of course it didn’t happen that way. For the most part I think it works, though there are a few imperfect details. [map]

Information on purchasing prints »

MAY 2010 | Acrylic on Canvas | 11″ x 14″ | View Larger »

The Gardiner Expressway is an elevated highway that crosses the southern edge of Toronto, skirting the shore of Lake Ontario. In recent years the expressway has become controversial for cutting off pedestrian access to the redeveloping waterfront. Various proposals to bury it, tear it down, put a green roof on it, or leave it alone have been floated.

This painting shows the view west under the expressway, from Simcoe Street, as the ramps curve and gradually descend to ground level blocks away. I like the near abstract quality of the composition, as well as the way the lighting makes the concrete pillars vary in colour from plain grey to blue to yellow. The ramps create dramatic lighting with glimpses of bright sunshine between the support pillars contrasting with the shadowy underbelly of the ramps. [map]

Information on purchasing prints »

APRIL 2010 | Acrylic on Canvas | 8″ x 10″ | View Larger »

The Wokker is a little restaurant on Queen St. East just past the Don River, roughly where Riverdale becomes Leslieville (these boundaries are pretty vague, it seems). I’ve never eaten there, but it has the look of a classic Canadian Chinese restaurant, with a cooler sign and clever name. [map]

Josie and I snapped the photo this painting is based on last fall, when we went out to a gallery opening in the area for a friend’s show. I like the way the red and yellow lights of the restaurant light up the surrounding area and reflect on the streetcar tracks in front. Having never attempted a night scene before, I’m pretty happy with the results.

As I was working on this painting I had a sense of deja vu; then I realized the composition is very similar to the George Street Diner painting I completed last year (hydro pole, lights over the sign, wires, bicycles in shadows) though I think this one works much better.

Information on purchasing prints »

APRIL 2010 | Acrylic on Canvas | 9″ x 12″ | View Larger »

It took me a year and a half of painting other locations around the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood before I finally worked up the courage to paint the main market itself. The challenge is that the building is so large and crowded it’s often difficult to find a clear angle to photograph it from, and it tends to throw its own shadows and put itself into darkness. I finally got a decent shot on a reasonably sunny day late last summer. The looming presence of the building (which fills nearly a whole block) is still evident but overall I’m happy with the contrast between the hulking building and the colourful sidewalk details.

The square portion with small windows on the front of the building is Toronto’s original City Hall, built in 1845 on the southwest corner of Front St. East and Jarvis [map]. In 1899, the larger market building was constructed around this original building, essentially creating the structure that stands today. The market was given a major overhaul in the early 1970s after narrowly being saved from demolition, and in 1979 the former city hall council chambers were converted into a gallery museum that showcases various archives and art related to the history of Toronto.

Today the South Market is open 5 days a week with dozens of personable vendors on two floors selling specialty foods and other items. The less photogenic North Building across the street houses the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and an Antique Market on Sundays. A few years ago, Food & Wine magazine included the St. Lawrence Market in its 25 of the World’s Best Food Markets article. You can read more about the St. Lawrence Market on the official website, including more about its long history.

Information on purchasing prints »

FEBRUARY 2010 | Acrylic on Canvas | 11″ x 14″

After a ridiculously long delay, I have finally completed another painting. I think this one suffered a bit from being started back in October and then worked on only periodically through to February, but I still like the original subject. This painting shows the rooftops of the historic building on the northeast corner of Front Street East and Jarvis Street, diagonally across from the St. Lawrence Market South building.

In pre-automobile days this row of buildings was the location of the Toronto Hay Market, where immense bales of hay were unloaded, stored, and sold: the fueling depot of its day. You can see the same building on March 18, 1925 in this historic photo. My particular vantage point was from around the corner, looking at the far side of the building with the prominent chimneys.

Today the ground floor of this building houses a restaurant with a prime patio called The Corner Place, which is almost next door to my favourite local pub, The Jason George. [map]

Also, for fun, here’s a small image of my original source photo overlayed with the painting. Move your mouse pointer on and off the image to the right to see the two versions alternate:

Information on purchasing prints »

SEPTEMBER 2009 | Acrylic on Canvas | 8″ x 10″

I’ve been working on this painting since July, not because it was particularly large or difficult, but because I’ve been too busy with “real” work to put in more than a few hours per week. The George Street Diner is a neat retro restaurant at the corner of George St. and Richmond St. East. It’s been around for decades, but when new owners took over a few years ago they covered the old murals on the exterior with brilliant red paint. You have to admit it stands out, and that’s probably why I was visually attracted to the building enough to paint it.

I debated with myself about whether to leave the tattered hydro pole in front or quietly leave it out. I decided to keep it, but I’m still not sure if it detracts from the composition too much.

And of course this is where I would usually rave about how great the food and service is at the George Street Diner. However, somewhat embarrassingly, I have to admit that I’ve never actually gone inside. But I’ve heard it’s good! Now that this is painting is done I think I’ll reward myself by finally venturing inside and ordering something deep fried. [map].

Information on purchasing prints »