July 12 – 14, 2024
Nathan Phillips Square
Fri & Sat 10 am – 7 pm, Sun 10 am – 5 pm
The weather was cooperating for this year’s TOAF with over 350 artists set up at Nathan Philips Square, though it did rain around 5 pm. An art supply company had given out some complimentary gift bags to artists in their booths and part of the loot included a hand fan. Artists were making use of the fans and trying to cool off. A couple of young people had taken to going into the water at the square.
Installation view of TOAF
There was the usual mix of crafts and artists from all medias, plus community organizations and schools such as the Toronto School of Art. I managed to find the Executive Director Anahita Azrahimi, who was chatting with some media representatives. Art collector, curator and gallerist Flavio Belli was hamming it up with Anahita while I was getting my photo op. Flavio has been involved with TOAF for years and is always fun to talk to him.
Flavio Belli with Executive Director Anahita Azrahimi
Self taught artist Sandamali Angunawela, besides her acrylic paintings, makes pencil portraits and started practicing this art form during COVID. This was her third year at the fair. Its a long way from Halifax but artist Kevin McLean has been participating at TOAF since 1992. He finds driftwood and creates model submarine vessels that are unique and fun. He has won in competitions for his sculptures at TOAF. Emily Zou uses recycling objects to create her environmentally friendly works. She enjoys bringing new life to those found materials. It is her second year and she said that she has learned a lot from her first year in 2023. She knows now that small works sell well.
Artist Sandamali Angunawela in front of her paintings
Kevin McLean with his submarine models
Emily Zou with her works
India born artist Kulwant Singh Bhullar studied drawing and painting and has an MFA. He has been participating at TOAF for over 30 years. Tobias Luttmer from Calgary attending the fair for the first year and was happy to get so much attention from the general public as well as from art buyers. He uses stone for the main body of his sculptures and then stainless steel to create the heads of the animal figures.
Kulwant Singh Bhullar, winner of the painting category, in front of his paintings
Tobias Luttmer with one of his birds
Jane Pike and Jeff Turner work together to create their pieces. They photograph objects and then alter them with digital paint giving the works a pop like look that was pleasing. Artist Ross Bonfanti started attending the fair after graduating from OCADU in 1996. His reasonably priced funny looking works were selling and he was happy to be back at TOAF. Photographer and filmmaker Nika Belianina described her work as magical realism. This was her second year at the fair.
Jane Pike and Jeff Turner work together. Jane Pike in their booth
Ross Bonfanti, surrounded by his pieces
Nika Belianina with one of her magical photographs
Artist Alex Millington thought TOAF was great this year, especially, experiencing it in person. He was accepted earlier, but then COVID came, so 2024 became his first year of participating in the fair. Kit Le draws her work by hand and then goes digital. I liked the work she did of the art building at Ossington and Dupont Streets. This was her first year at the fair. She described her work as “chaos within constraint”. Artist Colin Arthurs presented himself as a multidisciplinary artist whose subjects involve male behavior in various historical times.
Alex Millington with his work
Kit Le with her work that depicts the corner of Ossington and Dupont Streets
Colin Arthurs in front of soldiers in trench
Deirdre Wicks draws animals doing human things, such as eating chips. She had studied Fashion at TMU but found out that creating art worked better for her. She believes humor is necessary in making her pieces. Painter Zack Atticus creates small realistic paintings that are very appealing oil paints on wood. I think these should sell themselves very well.
Deirdre Wicks in her booth
Zack Atticus with his small cityscapes
Amy Fitzgerald is a mixed media artist. This was her first year and she was pleased with the attention her work was getting. The next artist I visited was Breanna Gordon, a talented painter. She likes Italian Baroque art and you can see its influences in her work. She had sold one larger work. She had a really good start at the fair.
Amy Fitzgerald in front of her works
Breanna Gordon with one of her large paintings
TOAF started in 1961 by the Koffler family and has always been a popular draw for people collecting art and the curious general public. For artists it means exposure and some sales to continue their art making. The only thing in the way this year seemed to be the weather with humidity and rain. Organizers made it all happen again and nothing but good things were said about this year’s TOAF. Tired and hot I found a food truck to end my trek at TOAF.
Installation view of TOAF
Text and photo: Phil Anderson