Breakthroughs. Discovery. Innovation. It all happens at the Ontario College of Art & Design.
The ninety-first annual Graduate Exhibition is happening May 5, 6, and 7, 2006.

OCAD’s graduating students explore and test boundaries in their thesis work in all areas of art and design including drawing and painting, photography, sculpture/installation, ceramics, printmaking, jewellery, textiles, integrated media, advertising, illustration, graphic design, industrial design, and environmental design. The class of 2006 transforms the university campus, including the celebrated Sharp Centre for Design, into an extraordinary exhibition of emerging talent.

Date: May 5 to 7, 2006
Time: 11 am to 6 pm
Venue: Main Campus, 100 McCaul Street, Toronto
Admission: Pay what you can

WHEN: April 27-May 10, 2006
WHERE: Givins/Shaw Public School, 180 Shaw Street

Opening Reception: Thursday April 27, 7PM
Exhibition: Friday April 28 – Tuesday May 9, Noon-7PM (free)
Gala Auction: Wednesday May 10, doors 6PM, auction 8PM

Tickets:
Opening Reception: $5 at the door
Gala Auction: $50 in advance or at the door, includes 2 free drink tickets and free entry to Opening Reception

Stellar Living is a unique exhibition and auction featuring over 50 designers’, artists’ and architects’ visions of contemporary urban style. Once again, Canadian and international designers, artists and architects create unique works of furniture, art, fashion, industrial, landscape and interior design items to be auctioned off at a gala fundraising event May 10th in support of Mercer Union Centre for Contemporary Art.
Stellar Living will be held at Givins/Shaw Public School, 180 Shaw Street (north of Queen West). This is the original 1914 Shaw Public School that was closed down in 2000. It is an empty three story architecture wonder located in the heart of the Art + Design District.
The exhibition is free and open to the public, Friday April 28th to Wednesday May 9th, 2006, 12NOON to 7PM. The Opening Reception on Thursday April 27th will celebrate the exhibition opening with artists in attendance, and will feature music, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Tickets for the Opening Reception will be available at the door, and are $5. The Exhibition will then be open to the public for viewing for two weeks.

It is Spring so I am getting out!

Panel Discussion: Architecture as Spectacle
Thursday, March 30, 7 to 8:30 pm
AGO

Join Michael Awad, Lisa Rochon, Christian Giroux and Daniel Young in a discussion about the phenomenon of architecture as spectacle. Urban issues – such as the contribution made by spectacular buildings to the life of a city and to the experience of individual users – will be explored. Michael Awad is an architect, artist and urbanist; Lisa Rochon is architecture critic for The Globe and Mail; Christian Giroux is a sculptor teaching at the University of Guelph and Daniel Young has studied Critical Urban Geography at the University of Toronto. Moderated by journalist John Bentley Mays.

   Whippersnapper Gallery opened in February at Front and Sherbourne a 10 minute walk from the office. I attended their first show which was a blast and I am looking forward to picking up the painting I purchased. The show ended last week and they haven’t called yet. I am getting anxious. I want my Happy Monkey Painting (I am sure that’s not the name the artist gave his work!). Whippersnapper was founded by 3 university students, all under the age of 25. One of the founders is Ryan Hughes and his work is the work I liked the most that evening. It is playful. He is quite a talented lad.

The first show they put up titled "Sleep is for Dead People" was the result of getting 24 artists together and having them produce art for 24 hours non-stop. No sleeping allowed.

Whippersnapper Gallery is at 184 Front St. East.

Happy Monkey