“OCAD Grad Launches Toronto’s First Annual City-Wide Artist Open Studio/Exhibition Event, Toronto Art Blast.
The Annual Toronto Art Blast begins on July 9, 2016, at the Opening Celebration and Preview Exhibition to be held at ArtScape Wychwood Barns, and is followed by three inspiring weekends of self-guided tours of artist open studios and exhibition spaces. Toronto Art Blast (TAB) is Toronto’s very first city-wide artist open studio event and includes Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and East and West Toronto.
TAB’s mission is to connect artists and art buyers directly with one another allowing artists the full benefit of their sales and exposure through the event and giving the public an opportunity to be up close and personal with the artists. It allows artists and collectors an opportunity to connect more intimately with one another in a unique, educational and inspiring way.
Call for Artists:
TAB is a non-juried event open to all artists and artisans at any level of their art careers working in any visual medium including but not limited to photography, ceramics, digital art, mixed media, jewelry, wood working, fiber art, video, painting, drawing, glass, sculpture, print making, metal work, textiles, kinetic art, film, etc.
Artist and artisans do not need to have their own working art studio to participate. Alternative exhibition spaces such as garages, backyard patios, community centers, galleries, meeting rooms, friend’s homes, restaurants and cafes are all options for venues. Artist must secure their own show space for the event.
Early bird artist registrations are available until February 15.
Final deadline for artist registration is April 1.
To register please visit www.TorontoArtBlast.com
The event is founded, produced and organized by Carolyn Quan, an OCAD graduate (1987 – Communication and Design and Photography) who is an acclaimed, award-winning and internationally-collected fine art photo collage artist. She was born and raised in Toronto and is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. At the age of 24 Carolyn moved to New York City, where she worked as an Art Director and Designer for the music and entertainment industry for over a decade, working with many celebrity recording artists such as Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow, Carly Simon and Yes, to name just a few. In 2000, she moved to Hawaii where she launched her fine art career, as a result of the tragic events of 9-11, and owned two fine art galleries that featured her artwork. Her work is held in the permanent art collection of the Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender and Reproduction and has bene shown in Mexico, Canada, Brazil and across the United States. Carolyn is a long-time artist advocate and brings 30 years of professional experience in design, marketing and the arts to the TAB event and the community. She founded and has produced the Annual Maui Open Studios Event in Hawaii for the past 6 years which has enjoyed a great amount of recognition and accolades. The event has 80 – 100 participating artists each year generating over 8,000 individual studio and exhibition visits and over $110,000 annually in art sales made directly between artist and art collector every year since it’s inception.
“I was born and raised in Toronto and have always felt a strong heart connection to the city. It’s where my creative roots are and after so many years of being somewhat separated from it, I thought it was time to reconnect. Launching an open studio event in Toronto is a great way to serve the art community as well as bring some new energy to it. After participating in the ArtSpan San Francisco Open Studios as a participating artist (which has over 800 participating artists in it every year), and gaining experience producing the open studio events on Maui and Oahu, I felt like it was time to create an event that brings the entire Toronto art community together from downtown neighborhoods to suburban neighborhoods and everywhere in between. It’s a great opportunity especially for artists who live or create their art from areas of the city that don’t already have an open studio event that they can participate in. I hope to make TAB one of Toronto’s most inclusive, diverse and expansive art events.”says Quan.
The dates for the 1st Annual Toronto Art Blast are as follows:
Opening Celebration and Preview Exhibition
Saturday, July 9, 2016 • 6pm – 9pm
ArtScape Wychwood Barns
601 Christie St., Toronto
• Pick up a copy of the TAB Guidebook.
• Meet many of the artists in person.
• Preview one or two pieces of the artist’s artwork and portfolios to help design your self-guided tours.
• Purchase artwork.
• Live Music. Cash bar. Food options.
The TAB self-guided tours begin the weekend after the Opening/Preview. Directional and location signs near artist studios and exhibition spaces will be posted to guide visitors to the show venues. Visitors can use our printed TAB guidebook, GPS and our online artist directories and Google maps to find artist venues. These will be available as we get closer to the event. Visit www.TorontoArtBlast.com for updates.
Open Studios – Weekend 1: Toronto Proper – East of Yonge St.
Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17 • 11am – 6pm
Open Studios – Weekend 2: Toronto Proper – West of Yonge St.
Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24 • 11am – 6pm
Open Studios – Weekend 2: Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough
Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31 • 11am – 6pm”
-from Toronto Art Blast press release
