Yes please! |
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Monday, 24 December 2012
He's Watching You
I recently came across a striking painting, which sits atop a friends mantelpiece. He inherited it after his grandfather passed away. He had always been fond of it growing up and recalled the way the Captains' eyes seemed to follow you across the room, which they really do! His gaze is captivating when you stand face to face with it. I'm not yet sure who this painting was made by or who this watchful Captain is, but seeing as this friends family is from the East Coast I imagine that this is the Captain of a Fishing boat, pushing along against the raging sea. The rest of the story I do not yet know.
Friday, 21 December 2012
Holiday (w)Rapping Yo!
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Friday, 7 December 2012
City of Craft 2012
City Of Craft is taking place this weekend!!
It never fails, you always find the sweetest, craftiest, most unique and innovative merchandise amongst the vendor booths at City of Craft! A unique gift for anyone on your xmas shopping list!
December 8 & 9, 2012
Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm
$2 Admission
Children under 12 FREE
The Theatre Centre
1087, 1093 & 1095 Queen Street West
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
The Weeknd
The Weeknd - Wicked Games
Support local talent! And when I say talent, I mean talent!
I've really been feeling The Weeknd's music lately, and when I found out that The Weeknd, or Abel Tesfaye, is not only Canadian, but reps the Toronto/Scarborough area I flipped, and had to buy The Trilogy, which is hands down the best CD compilation I've listened to in a long while!
Susanne Sundfor - White Foxes
I'm in love with this song White Foxes by Susanne Sundfor.
Leave it to the Norwegians to do it so well!
Wood Panel That Shit!
Just a couple photos of my 2012 zine Wood Panel That Shit! that I found floating around on the internet, on The Design Craft Lab Blog and The Carl Wagan Tumblr. This zine can be found in the permanent collection at the OCAD University Zine Library, and inside the Carl Wagan.
For more information on the Carl Wagan and to find out when it might be visiting an exhibition near you check it out on The Carl Wagan Blog.
Monday, 19 November 2012
Release: Book Arts Fair Vendor List
Big Announcement!
Our list of wonderful vendors for The OCAD University 28th Annual Book Arts Fair is officially full and ready to be released! We've got yet another spectacular group of artists and bookbinders ready to amaze us all with their unique handcrafted goods and celebrate this fantastic fair!
Look forward to seeing you all there!
Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild
Grace Notes Press
Sprouts Press
Samantha Ross & John Ekonomakos
Renata Janiszewski
Micheline Montgomery
Sherwood Press
eX Press
Xushan Li
Frederick Turner
Albert Kwon
Krystina Plante
Diana Sze & Phuong Nguyen
Iris Karuna & Sabine Spare
Friends of the Osborne Collection
Send More Mail
Snap + Tumble
Debbie Waker
Denise Moraze
Biting Dog
Greyweathers Press
Allison Philp & Ashley Eisen
Don Taylor Bookbinder
The Papertrail
Thee Hellbox Press
Cemetery Photos + Flipbooks
Locks' Press
Porcupine's Quill
The Church Street Press
Isabella Chang Fong
The Aliquando Press
Kozo Studio
Don Black Linecasting
Jackson Creek Press
Naz Rahbar & Nilou Afshar
Behrang Doosti & Shapour Shahidi
With a Y Designs by Lynda Plante
Franny Rutchinski
Acadia Arts and Rare Books
Hello! Stuff
Leah Ataide
The Printmaking Department Thesis Group '13
Kelvin Lam & Tatjama Petkovic
Inky Apron
Jen Bernstein
Iron Rabbit Bindery
Mary Ma & Andrea Manica
Saba Bushnaq
Melissa Cormier
Spark Box Studio
Pomegranate Letterpress
Susan Grace Van Beek Rogers
West Meadow Press
Gaspereau Press
Stinky Apron
Jocelyn Kearns
Kosa Kolektiv
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Upcoming: The OCAD University 28th Annual Book Arts Fair
OCAD University is proud to present the 28th Annual Book Arts Fair!
OCAD University - 100 McCaul Street, Toronto
Saturday December 1st, 2012
10am - 5pm
Celebrating and exhibiting the work of artists, printmakers, bookbinders and others involved in the creation of original handmade books, prints, paper, zines and small press publications.
Just in time for the holiday season you will find exceptional one of a kind goods, and meet with like-minded people who are passionate about what they do!
Join the Facebook event page HERE
For more information about this years fair or if you are
interested in being a vendor next year contact bookartsfair@gmail.com
See you there!
Poster design by Krystina Plante |
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Neck Of The Woods
Neck Of The Woods
Nov. 29th - Dec. 5th, 2012
Norman Felix Gallery - 627 Queen Street West
Opening Party:
Nov. 29th, 7 - 11pm
$6 entry fee - includes prizes, giveaways + a gift basket raffle!
Poster design by Emily Kouri |
22 Artists. 1 City.
What Toronto neighbourhood are you closely connected with and what would it look like through the eyes of artists and designers?
Neck of the Woods celebrates the spirit of Toronto neighborhoods and it’s diverse communities. Twenty two local artists will showcase a body of work that expresses their personal connection with a specific Toronto neighborhood.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Suharu Ogawa
Rosena Fung
Shane Fester
Andrew Dunn Clark
DRONE
Tiffany Huta
Emily Kouri
Richael Laking
Kevin Morris
Pearce Cacalda
Robin Luoma
Krystina Plante
Gil Chen
Marc O'Brien
Sarah Prior
Tyler Armstrong
EL BLACK
Vincent Luk
Pallavi Thampi
Patrick Estebar
Justin de Lima
Olivia Mauceri
SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES
Wood + Wires Productions musical performances
Live musical performance by A.D.C
Poetry reading by Ellie Anglin
Nail art by Pinky’s Nails
Headmistress handmade fashion accessories
PUBLIC ART PIECE
Hashtag your Instagram pics with #neckofthewoodsTO and the NOTW team will add it to a collection of public images, where they will then be projected on the gallery walls during the opening event! They will contact you personally if your images has been selected.
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Norman Felix Gallery
Cobs Bread
Coriander Girl
Headmistress
Sweet Flour Bake Shop
Wood + Wires Productions
Onsite [at] OCADU Bookstore
Cobs Bread
Coriander Girl
Headmistress
Sweet Flour Bake Shop
Wood + Wires Productions
Onsite [at] OCADU Bookstore
Find out more by visiting the NOTW blog @ www.notwartshow.blogspot.ca
Join the facebook event page HERE
Oxfam Holiday Bazaar
Join myself and Oxfam U of T for a fun-filled event just in time for the holiday season. Get your holiday shopping done the ethical way by supporting local artisans and students from Toronto, and surprising your friends and family with truly one of a kind gifts.
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Final Notice Zine Fair
Final Notice Zine Fair
XPACE Cultural Centre - 58 Ossington Avenue
Saturday November 24th, 2012
12-6pm
Poster design by Nathan Enkel |
I will be a vendor at the upcoming Third Annual Final Notice Zine Fair, taking place at XPACE Cultural Centre on November 24th! It will be the last event XPACE will be hosting at their current location before moving.
Come check out handmade merch from wickedly talented local artists; including zines, prints, comics, small press editions and other crafty goodies!
My new line of 100% recycled, handmade card/envelope sets, "Wood Panel That Shit!" zine, and assorted prints and jewellery will be for sale. This will also be the launch of my new acorn necklace line, made from real High Park acorns!
Also for sale will be gorgeous handmade stockings, tote bags and other goods by With A Y Designs. If you attended last years' OCADU Book Arts Fair then you know that these stockings are hot tamales, and you'd better get them before they're all gone!
Labels:
Acorn,
Art,
Cards,
Craft,
Envelopes,
Fair,
Final Notice Zine Fair,
Handmade,
High Park,
Jewellery,
Local,
Necklace,
Recycled,
Stockings,
Tote Bags,
Vendor,
With A Y Designs,
Wood Panel That Shit,
XPACE,
Zine
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Submission Accepted!
I just got accepted to be a vendor at the Third Annual Final Notice Zine Fair,
taking place Saturday November 24th, at XPACE Cultural Centre!!!
It will be their last event at 58 Ossington Ave. before the centre moves!
Thanks XPACE!
Super excited!
More info to come closer to the date!
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Happy Fall
Fall is, by far, my absolute favourite season! It's mild, but not uncomfortably cold yet. You get to layer up with fun textures in warm earthy tones. Seasonal tastes start to come out to play on the tip of your tongue, and comfort foods really do start to call to you. Mostly, fall just seems to demand attention. You can't ignore the raw beauty of nature that the season unveils. I can't help but wade through piles of leaves strewn around the city, smiling. There's an extra pep in my step and a sweet smell in the chilled air that I can't ignore.
Here are my 10 Best Tips to Making the Fall Season Even Better!
1.) Make some preserves to last you through the winter. It's a dying tradition, but aren't all of the best things in life? Not only is it a lot of fun and extremely rewarding, but it's also great because you can get super creative with it and cater exactly to your own taste buds! Plus, they make great festive gifts (only for special somebodies though). Use produce from your summer garden if you can, but if not that's fine too! We aren't all blessed with garden space. Some of my favourites are orange marmalade, brown sugar caramelized onions, garlic pickles, pasta sauces, and wine when feeling extra adventurous!
2.) Buy a few good quality scented candles or a wall plug-in in a festive scent. I especially like the ones from Bath & Body Works this time of year. I almost prefer the wall plug-ins simply because it feels really good to come home after a long day to the smell of apples, cinnamon and spice. If you are feeling extra fancy you can simmer 2 cups of apple cider, a few sprigs of thyme, and a teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a pot. You can leave this simmering on the stove all day as long as you add a cup of water every few hours. It will definitely impress your guests!
3.) Get creative with pumpkins! Big, small, carved, painted, stenciled, anything! One of my favourite things to do is buy those teeny tiny baby pumpkins (2/3 for $1), cut off the tops, poke decorative light holes and then use them as tea light candle holders all over the apartment. So great!
4.) Make yourself reeeeally fancy hot fall drinks! Who needs Starbucks?! Think homemade mulled apple cider with whipped cream and sea salt, hot toddies, rare tea lattes like Marrakesh mint or rose teas, and of course the classic Bailey's hot chocolate.
p.s. If you ever have a hard time lulling yourself to sleep, try this brew: steam a mug of milk, steep a bag a peppermint tea (optional), stir in a teaspoon of honey, enjoy. But that's not all...when your mug has cooled a bit and is almost empty place it against your temples and eyelids. It is reminiscent of a loved one kissing your eyes before bed, and will give you that extra little push into la la land.
5.) Fireplace. All I want in life is a rocking chair and a fireplace! My want for the two of these things becomes unbearable as fall turns into winter. And my faux fireplace app just doesn't cut it! So if you have a fireplace or know someone/somewhere that has one, go use it! Put on your wool socks, swaddle yourself in a throw blanket and relax in front of a fireplace with one of those fancy drinks you've been making yourself. Read a book, draw, play a board game, or even better, enjoy some good conversation with a friend, family member or your special someone.
6.) Get crafty! Winter is coming and this means less daylight and more indoor time. Winter is the best time of year for crafting and with Christmas fast approaching why not get an early start to your handmade gifts?! Plus, handcrafted decor sprinkled around the home will make it that much cozier on those long cold nights.
7.) Make time to cuddle up on a quiet park bench and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. Whatever you enjoy doing, do it outside this month. Watch the trees sway, the leaves fall. Feed a squirrel. Read a book. Enjoy a hot beverage and flavoured cigarillo. If you're an artist, and even if you are not, paint a small landscape. The landscape is such a part of our Canadian identity. I try to make it a goal to make one small landscape painting a year, even if it's only a tiny one in my sketchbook.
8.) Make a point to cook comfort foods like Sheppard's pie, hearty stews, chili, borscht, and oodles of pasta noodles. I suggest pureed carrot, squash, and roasted garlic instead of your regular tomatoe sauce! Make extra when you can so that you can freeze a few batches for an evening when you don't feel like cooking but still want a hearty home cooked meal.
9.) Bake a fresh loaf of bread, full of fresh herbs, nuts, cranberries and flax seed! I bake my own bread year round, but there's something extra special about the smell of hot rising bread wafting through a chilled house.
10.) Lastly, watch a scary movie every night until Halloween, just for the hell of it! It's a spooky time of year, get into it! (Follow it by a comedy if you are a big wuss like me and my bestie!)
Happy Fall to All!
Pre-launch @ Kensington Market
This last Pedestrian Sunday, September 30th, was the pre-launch of my brand new line of 100% recycled, handmade envelopes. All envelopes are made from re-purposed materials such as magazines, posters, and gift wrap, are lined, and come with a blank card and silver seal. This unannounced pre-launch was really just a way of putting my feelers out and seeing what sort of reception these envelope sets received, and what were the best sellers. I was overwhelmed by the great feedback I received and how well they sold!! I'm practically out of "Fall Favourites" already and October has just begun! Time to get back to the craft station!
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Bun Twins
Preview: Acorn Necklaces
JUST A PREVIEW:
Freshly made acorn necklaces, made from real High Park acorns!!!
Perfect for the fall! Get them while they're hot!
PROPER PHOTOS SOON TO COME!!!
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Selling In Kensington Market Today!
Sadly, today is the last Pedestrian Sunday of the year. Now I know that you are probably as exhausted as I am from Nuit Blanche, but make sure to come on out to enjoy some great food, culture, artists and artisans, and soak in the community spirit! There's no better way to spend a fall Sunday!
BONUS! The Tragically Hip are performing later today on upper Augusta!!
I will be located just down the street, on lower Augusta in the "Art Market", selling jewellery and a brand new line of 100% recycled, handmade envelope/blank card sets for every occasion! Hope to see you there!!
BONUS! The Tragically Hip are performing later today on upper Augusta!!
I will be located just down the street, on lower Augusta in the "Art Market", selling jewellery and a brand new line of 100% recycled, handmade envelope/blank card sets for every occasion! Hope to see you there!!
Friday, 10 August 2012
Review: Missing Links
Krystina Plante's deeply personal work, Missing Links regarding her broken family tree is beautiful and haunting.
XPACE Summer Resident - Krystina Plante - Interview
XPACE Summer Resident - Krystina Plante
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Krystina Plante’s experience completing a 4 year art program at Central Technical School helped to give her a head start for her printmaking career at OCAD U. She enjoys photography and sculpture, but printmaking is the one thing she “craves doing.” I was fortunate enough to witness her passion for print while she completed her residency here at XPACE.
JC: How long has this been something that you have wanted to do?
KP: I’ve wanted to touch on the subject matter for a while, but I only really thought of this idea after I got this residency which gave me the opportunity to make this big body of work that is funded and exhibited. By the time I came to my orientation for the residency I had this idea in mind and got started on it. I’ve been really strapped for time though because it’s been a lot of trouble-shooting. For example, I started making all of the boxes in wood and had completed 14 of them before realizing that it wasn’t going to work because I was using 1 x 6’s which people usually buy for making fences and don’t care if the wood is warped. I went through the entire bin and their new shipment - they were all warped, so unless I wanted to spend about 20.00 on one plank of pine (which I wouldn’t have been able to afford) I had to change my materials.
JC: Did you construct each of the 14 wooden boxes yourself?
KP: Yes, I made them at my dad’s house and used his tools... he hovered for a bit just to make sure I wasn’t going to break anything! So the construction of those really set me back in my timeline. I think I’ve tried to tackle something pretty big and budgeting time is always kind of hard.
JC: What are you going to take away from this residency?
A very special thank you to XPACE for this opportunity, and to Jessica Cappuccitti for the wonderful interview and documentation.
Friday, 3 August 2012
XPACE Closing Reception
XPACE Summer Residency & The Beat and the Chorus at the Same Time - CLOSING RECEPTION
The XPACE Summer Residency came to an end this past Friday July 27th. After a month of hard work our Residents got to show off what they created during their time here at XPACE.
Krystina Plante's deeply personal work, Missing Links regarding her broken family tree is beautiful and haunting.
Lee Aaron Wiesblatt Let's Hope We Don't Have Another Solaris Situation on Our Hands Here turned XBASE into a technological cave of wonder.
Mason Mummery's art slingshot had visitor's slinging paint-covered sculptures at canvases collaged in the artist's own drawings.
The Summer Resicency Show will be up until Saturday August 3rd.
Hanna Hur's The Beat and the Chorus at the Same Time, in Window Space will be up until Saturday August 3rd.
XPACE Summer Residency & The Beat and the Chorus at the Same Time - CLOSING RECEPTION
The XPACE Summer Residency came to an end this past Friday July 27th. After a month of hard work our Residents got to show off what they created during their time here at XPACE.
Krystina Plante's deeply personal work, Missing Links regarding her broken family tree is beautiful and haunting.
Lee Aaron Wiesblatt Let's Hope We Don't Have Another Solaris Situation on Our Hands Here turned XBASE into a technological cave of wonder.
Mason Mummery's art slingshot had visitor's slinging paint-covered sculptures at canvases collaged in the artist's own drawings.
The Summer Resicency Show will be up until Saturday August 3rd.
Hanna Hur's The Beat and the Chorus at the Same Time, in Window Space will be up until Saturday August 3rd.
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Selling In Kensington Market Tomorrow!
All Plante. All handmade. All day.
Come visit my mother, Lynda Plante, and myself, as we participate in our first Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market tomorrow, Sunday July 29th, from 12-6pm. We will be located on lower Augusta in the "Art Market", selling handmade tote bags and repurposed denim bags from With A Y Designs, as well as jewellery, prints, cards and zines.
The weather is going to be beautiful, so come on out and enjoy all the food, culture, and artisans that Kensington Market has to offer!
Friday, 27 July 2012
XPACE RESIDENCY
XPACE RESIDENCY
XPACE Cultural Centre - 58 Ossington Avenue, Toronto
July 27th - August 4th, 2012
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 12 - 6pm
Opening Reception July 27th, 2012 7 - 11pm
Artists in Residence: Krystina Plante, Mason Mummery, Lee Aaron Wiesblatt
New Body of Work: Missing Links, Krystina Plante
Drawing from personal experience and
emotional tension, I look to find narratives within mundane objects or
the events of everyday life. My most recent work has centered on the
surrounding notions of collecting, the mundane, and the book as an art
form. This residency has created an opportunity to divert from these
themes and instead explore a topic which has been in suspension for some
time. As much of my family has been adopted or displaced, I am left
with a very small family core, which then dissipates into a vast area of
unknowns, like dead nerve endings. It is this tremendous sense of
anonymity and these evidently lost connections which has me longing for
answers, resolution, and acceptance. It is vital to my artistic practice
to remain emotionally vulnerable, as I feel it is crucial to express
humanity through art.
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Feature: Upcoming at XPACE
Feature:
Upcoming at XPACE
XPACE is housing a Residency for three recent OCADU grads for the month of July, we are very excited to see what these talented artists will come up with! Krystina and Lee are both Printmaking grads, and Mason is a Sculpture/Installation grad. They are using both the Main Space, as well as XBASE as their studios, and have been given 24/7 access. On the 27th they will be showing some of the work they've come up with in their time here. Rumor has it that there will be an art catapult!
Krystina Plante is actively involved in craft and zine culture, and works as the event coordinator for OCAD University's Annual Book Arts Fair. Her most recent work centres on the surrounding notions of collecting, the mundane, and the book as an art form.
Mason Mummery's figurative caricature sculptures are inspired by cartoons, satire and farce. Through explorations and axaggerations of the human subject, the caricature figures become a malleable portrait of humanity.
Lee Aaron Wiesblatt's interdisciplinary work is informed by narrative, the multiple, process, and experimentation. Dual interests in fine and vernacular art inform his developing practice.
Mason Mummery's figurative caricature sculptures are inspired by cartoons, satire and farce. Through explorations and axaggerations of the human subject, the caricature figures become a malleable portrait of humanity.
Lee Aaron Wiesblatt's interdisciplinary work is informed by narrative, the multiple, process, and experimentation. Dual interests in fine and vernacular art inform his developing practice.
Get all the latest Residency and XPACE updates on their Blog
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Camp Nano feat. Carl Wagan Bookmobile
Camp Nano feat. Carl Wagan Bookmobile
OCADU Student Gallery – 285 Dundas Street West, Toronto
June 28th – July 20th, 2012
Opening Reception Thurs. June 28th, 2012
Summer Camp / Camp Nano Workshops 12 – 2pm
Gallery Opening 6 – 11pm
Carl Wagan Bookmobile & Campfire After Sunset
(Located in the parking lot beside Butterfield Park / South side of OCAD University – 100 McCaul Street)
Featuring zines and artist multiples by
Shannon Gerard’s diverse Nanopublishing students, this years theme
revolves around the great outdoors, keener culture, and the prolific
Carl Sagan. Helping to kick off the Student Gallery’s annual Summer Camp program, us Camp Nano scouts will be holding workshops at the gallery on June 28th, from 12-2pm, where you can earn all your scout badges!
Carl Wagan Bookmobile, a
vintage Volkswagen Van which has been converted into a gloriously wood
panelled gallery space, will be parked in the parking lot beside
Butterfield Park the evening of June 28th. Bring your friends, your
neighbors, your lovers, and your dogs after sunset for a faux campfire,
ukelele session, s’mores, and some all-around good quality camp-time in
the heart of the city. Something like this will only happen once!
This will also be the release of my long-awaited
Wood Panel That Shit zine! Be there!
Beaute Brut
Beaute Brut
Showcasing work by Canadian Artist Jean Romano-Ferderber
Opening Reception Thursday June 28th, 2012 7-10pm
Exhibition June 28th - July 15th, 2012
The Art Bar 1st Floor - Gladstone Hotel - 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
Poster design by Krystina Plante |
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