Thursday 30 June 2011

Half Way There


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We've now reached the half-way point of our trip and things are going smoothly. Elise managed to fix her camera and is shooting with film once more; Jillian continues to dye canvases; and I'm fabricating and sewing as always. We've also managed to link up with some art students here who are interested in our residency. In other news, the fourth of July is fast approaching and we're excited to celebrate down here in the USA as we'll be missing Canada's birthday.

PS. can you spot the "Carl Andre"?

Paola Savasta



Paola Savasta
Couches for the Liberated

ELEVENTH ANNUAL WILLIAM HUFFMAN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN STUDIO PRACTICE

KWT Contemporary

July 7 - 30, 2011
Exhibition Opening: July 7, 2011: 5 -7 p.m.

The faculty of the Art and Art History Program – a joint BA offered by the University of Toronto at Mississauga and Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (Oakville) – is pleased to announce Paola Savasta as the 2011 recipient of the William Huffman Award for Excellence in Studio Practice. Savasta explores relationships and systems between people and their treatment of space. She is a recent graduate of the Art and Art History Program. Savasta will present a new body of work in a solo exhibition entitled "Couches for the Liberated" at KWT Contemporary.

Curator and arts administrator William Huffman created this award in 1999 to recognize an especially gifted student graduating from Art and Art History. Huffman has had an extensive involvement on both local and international cultural fronts and has worked with a number of arts organizations such as Blackwood Gallery, Arts Toronto, The Power Plant, A Space, Canadian Art Foundation and Art Gallery of Sudbury. He is currently Associate Director with Toronto Arts Council, a post he has held since 2004. Huffman is a 1991 Art and Art History Program alumnus.

Since its inception the award has recognized Sebastian Koever (2010), Jessica Vallentin (2009), Jaclyn Quaresma (2008), Marko Bursac (2007), Alison Kobayashi (2006), Tejpal Ajji (2005), Carolyn Tripp (2004), Jared Carlson (2003), Tannis Nielsen (2002), Erin Finley (2001), Amie Tolton (2000) and Heather Robinson (1999). Thanks to this year's sponsors of the William Huffman Award: KWT contemporary, University of Toronto, and Molson Coors.

 

Wednesday 29 June 2011

XPACE will be OPEN from 2pm-6pm on Thursday June 30th, 2011.

Jon McCurley (one half of LIFE OF A CRAPHEAD) will be present to talk about CRAPHEAD's movie project: bugs, in production at XPACE's Main Space.

Melissa Fisher will be present to chat about her ongoing installation: lately I've been wondering if you feel it too, in XPACE's Window Space.

 

Michael Abraham's Transformation of XPACE

toronto, Canada
Mixed-media artist / fabricator currently enrolled at OCAD University. Contact: michael.abraham85@gmail.com
Website: http://bearjar.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, June 22, 2011



Get Slanty




Framing almost done. . . laying down the OSB.


Slanted floor I designed and built for Amy Lam and Jon McCurley. Aproximatly 28' x 21' with a 4º slant, this installation spans most of the main space of Xpace Cultural Centre at 58 Ossington Ave. Built as the foundation for a film set, as well as a month long collective art thing involving several different artists in three phases. Each group will react to the space and the work of the previous artists, reinterpreting what is left behind to suit their needs, and altering it in whatever way they see fit. . . Thanks to Seth, Courtney, Filip and Luke, who helped out big time.


Posted by Michael Abraham at 8:45 PM 0 comments


Monday 27 June 2011

Life of A Craphead & No Reading After the Internet.

THIS is happening TONIGHT at 7pm!
Free Admission.

...more installation shots...



This one looks like a fancy New Wave sandal.



Racing stripes in the wok, and Amy painting.



The props are being blocked into the set before a new layer of paint is applied to the floor.

Laura and Michael getting things done.

 

XPACE is hiring.

XPACE Cultural CentreCommunications Assistant
DEADLINE: June 30th, 2011
XPACE is looking to hire a Communications Assistant to work with the XPACE Director andProgramming Coordinators.
This position is a 30/hr a 6 week contract beginning July 2011.
Is between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment
This part-time contract position pays $13.00/hour at 30 hours per week for 6 weeks commencing on July18th, 2011.
Deadline: Thursday June 30th @ 5pm
Check out the Job posting on XPACE's website for further information.

Sobey Art Award Long List @ Oakville Galleries


Aleesa Cohene, Gareth Long, Derek Sullivan, Josh Thorpe, and Daniel Young & Christian Giroux.

25 June – 3 September 2011
Oakville Galleries in Gairloch Gardens and at Centennial Square
Curated by Marnie Fleming

Here are a few snapshots from the reception:

Josh Thorpe

Daniel Young & Christian Giroux

Gareth Long

Derek Sullivan

Aleesa Cohene

-Cameron

Saturday 25 June 2011

Gallery Hours



XPACE is currently closed to the public, for the installation of Phase One of WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
The gallery is open by appointment only.
Open house: Join us on Thursday June 30th from  2 pm- 6pm. Check out the work Life of A Craphead and their crew have constructed in the Main Space.

XPACE will be closed until July 9th, for a Reception at 7pm.

The gallery will remain closed before and after the Reception, to re-open during regular gallery hours (Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12pm - 6pm) as of July 12th 2011.

In the meantime, come check out the WINDOW SPACE, as Melissa Fisher begins her ongoing installation, which runs throughout the duration of WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.

Friday 24 June 2011

In The Studio

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Two weeks in and we're still having a great time. After experiencing some technical difficulties with her camera, Elise is taking shots again in the studio. Jillian continues to paint, render and assemble objects, and I'm putting the finishing touches on a series of flags and sculptures. Moreover, we're working on a title for our upcoming show while fleshing out the thematic link between our three practices. In other news, the local pool has recently opened so that's the plan for today!

Thursday 23 June 2011

quick snap from spark




hello from the studio!

Call for Submissions

Call for Submissions – Emerging artists exhibition at O'Born Contemporary




O'Born Contemporary is pleased to present its first annual exhibition of emergent artists in January 2012. Works in all mediums will be accepted, providing they fit the theme, Apocalypse. Works may be grim, humorous or somewhere in between, as long as they address some issue surrounding the suppositional end of the world. Selected works will be exhibited at O'Born Contemporary with a prize awarded for best-in-show.

Deadline: Submissions must be delivered by email to submit@oborncontemporary.com by July 30, 2011, 6pm


Details for eligibility are outlined here.


Wednesday 22 June 2011

LIFE OF A CRAPHEAD

Here are a few snaps of the work Life of a Craphead and their team of hard-working volunteers have been up to for Phase One: What Goes Around Comes Around.

The first open house for Life of a Craphead will be on Thursday June 30th, from 2-6 PM.
Admission is free.

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Saturday 18 June 2011

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We're getting comfy in our studio and making lots of work!

Friday 17 June 2011

Call for Nominations for the 2011 TAF Arts Awards

Toronto Art Foundation


 

Call for Nominations for the 2011 TAF Arts Awards.
Nomination forms can be found here, and more information here.

Deadline to submit is Friday July 15th, 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

Best,

Aisha


 

 

 

Wednesday 15 June 2011

An Afternoon In America

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More photos from our stay....

"Still Seven Dollars"

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Already a week has passed since we arrived in Syracuse and we're getting use to life around here. Yesterday we spent the better part of the afternoon painting the interior of Spark then began working on art projects. Jillian made two sculptures, I started working on a series of pennants, and Elise took some photographs around the neighbourhood. Thankfully, we also discovered a food stand across from the gallery which, for "still seven dollars", sells amazing chilli dogs and giant (phallic) pickles. To finish off the day we followed Mike downtown for some shopping then settled in for a movie. This morning I got up early and read Flatland - A Romance of Many Dimensions which has been inspirational to me in my recent use of geometry and notions of the sublime. Hopefully we'll all head down to a swimming hole this afternoon and, of course, continue making work.

-L

Monday 13 June 2011

Spring Cleaning

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After a few trips to Lowes and Home Depot (plus a sewing machine in the mail) we're finally ready to go! We met with Matt today and got the keys to Spark which we immediately began cleaning. Tomorrow our plan is to paint the space as well as set up our studio. Spark Contemporary Art Space is made up of two, large rooms and we intend to use one to make work and the other to document it. In short, were stoked about the opportunity - thanks again to XPACE for making it happen.

Saturday 11 June 2011

Day Three In The Cuse (The Alpine)

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Our stay so far has been great! We continue to explore syracuse and the surrounding area, collecting art supplies all the while. Yesterday our host Mike brought us over to see Spark and we're really stoked about the opportunity to work there - it looks fantastic. We've also been to some of the workshops at the local university and it seems like we might be able to gain access to a few of them (bonus!). Today we checked out the weekly farmer's market and later this afternoon we'll probably hang out ponder future projects.

Thursday 9 June 2011

First Post In Syracuse NY

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We're here! It's hot!

No problems in transit except for a long wait at the border. Glad to have some reese puffs cereal upon arrival. We got settled in yesterday (including the purchase of some amazingly cheap beers) and we began collecting art supplies today. Tomorrow we hope to see the Spark Contemporary Art Space for the first time as well as Light Work for Elise.

Ps. Big thank you to our very friendly hosts!!!