Greetings! I've got a question for you. When was the last time you explored something new and found it to be a total delight? I mean something that made your mouth and your mind smile. I experienced this recently.
I mentioned in my post last week that I visited a new-to-me art gallery called Gallery Arcturus. It is located at 80 Gerrard Street East, by Ryerson University, in downtown Toronto. Admission is free.
Gallery Arcturus is actually a public art museum with five galleries in a multi-storey house. When I arrived at the front door, I needed to buzz to be let in. The staff on duty gave me a quick overview of the Gallery and let me wander on my own to view the art works on exhibit.
I was there at mid-day, mid-week and had the five galleries to myself. Think "a kid in a candy store". From the ground floor to the top floor, everything seemed to be well-curated and tastefully displayed without making the visitor feel overwhelmed.
Although there were many art items on display, for this blog post, I included just a sample of what was on exhibit that I thought was interesting. We all have different tastes for arts and our mood also affects what we see so I'll let the photos "speak" to you and perhaps you see something you like.
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| A Serious Matter by debbie harris |
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| overturned by debbie harris |
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| overturned by debbie harris |
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| blown away by debbie harris |
THE COLLAGE GALLERY: "from the street" sculpture and cards by Joseph Lammirato are displayed on all the walls in this gallery. There is a paper handout that lists the titles of what's on display on each wall. His sculpture will be on the telephone poles of the city in the next month or so.
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| Art creations by Joseph Lammirato |
THE UP NORTH GALLERY: This gallery displays art work by Claustro, McConnachie, and Kimura. Claustro is the husband and wife team (Carol Currie and Stuart Leggett). Eric McConnachie is a northern Ontario artist who has adopted the medium and tools of one of his mentors, Tom Thomson. Most of McConnachie's works are done on small wood panels showing nature and how it changes through all the seasons and light.
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| Silver Peak by Carol Currie & Stuart Leggett |
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| Paintings by Eric McConnachie |
THE ASCENDING GALLERY: This gallery displays art work by Kimura, Kuptana, and harris. I like the bright colours in Kuptana's paintings.
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| Painting by Floyd Kuptana |
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| Sculpture by Floyd Kuptana |
FLOYD KUPTANA GALLERY: This gallery displays sculpture and 2-D work by Kuptana. There is also a library and seating area here, perfect for admiring Kuptana's art works and browsing books.
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| Sculpture by Floyd Kuptana |
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| Seating area in Floyd Kuptana Gallery |
I'm glad I decided to give it a whirl and visit a place that I have not been to before. This is my new whirl 2018.10 edition! It's a total delight to discover Gallery Arcturus. In addition, upon leaving, I received the staff recommendations and a list of nearby museums and galleries with free admission. I look forward to eventually visiting them all.
Have you explored something new recently and found it to be a total delight? I'd love to hear about it.
How wonderful to have the gallery almost all to yourself, Natalie. Another experience that enriched your life and has reminded me that visiting somewhere new or trying something new is always a learning for us. Thanks for sharing the photos,I think the Ascending Gallery was my favourite. #LifeThisWeek
ReplyDeleteIt was an enjoyable and enriching visit to the gallery, Sue. I look forward to discovering the other galleries that the staff recommended to me. Thank you for your comment.
DeleteHi Natalie as always it is lovely to have you join us at #MLSTL and I enjoyed reading your post again. Have a beautiful week and look forward to reading more of your adventures. xx
DeleteThank you, Sue, for hosting. It's my pleasure to participate in your link up. Have a fabulous week!
DeleteHow lovely for you to have the place to yourself Natalie! You'd be able to take all the time you want and not feel rushed on. I must admit that some abstract art I struggle to 'get' but some I do. Out of the images you've shared here I quite like Debbie Harris's work and also Eric McConnachie's! There is so much talent in this world. It's quite inspiring! :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Min, that there is so much talent in this world. I enjoy viewing the artists' creativity, and no crowd at the gallery is great!
DeleteThank you for taking us all along with you to Gallery Arcturus -- I am so glad that you gave it a whirl!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Donna, for joining me virtually. I greatly appreciate it. I was excited to discover Gallery Arcturus.
DeleteI love discovering places like this. When in Paris I found a Ceramics Museum that was just amazing. https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/2018/10/14/french-national-museum-of-ceramics/ it is so good to go off the beaten track and find these little gems.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Darlene, for sharing your discovery of the Ceramics Museum. Great find! I noted it for my next trip to Paris.
DeleteI love to share these finds!
DeleteThis had me spinning a bit as I saw my name 'debbie harris' in your post! I realise it was the artist and not me, but for a minute I wondered what my name was doing there! A great post about this gallery which I really enjoyed. Thanks Natalie, visiting from Senior Salon
ReplyDeleteYes, the artist's name is the same like yours, Debbie, except she writes her name all in lowercase. I'm glad you enjoyed my post. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteSuch an interesting post, full of culture and artworks. Shared for #mlstl
DeleteThank you, Debbie, for sharing.
DeleteOnce again, you've introduced me to something new. I love all the culture I get second-hand from you. Now I need to get out and see some things on my own. #MLSTL
ReplyDeleteYou've got to do it and share, Christie. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteBeautiful pictures....so many galleries in the US don't allow photos. Sad because we can't share the beauty with those who will never get to visit.
ReplyDelete#MLSTL visitor (shared on SM)
Thank you, Donna, for your comment and sharing on SM. One of the concert halls that I go to remind the audience at the start of the program that no photography or recording allowed. When I go to art galleries, I always ask before taking photos.
DeleteWhat a beautiful place. I would love to wander around there for a while. Thanks for sharing with us. #MLSTL
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice and welcoming gallery. Thank you, Patrick, for your comment.
DeleteI saw Debbie Harris's name on the art too and it made me smile. A very eccletic collection of scuptures etc - a little out of my comfort zone but really interesting despite that.
ReplyDeleteMLST and I've shared on my SM :)
Hi Leanne - It was interesting to see the works by various artists. I liked how they made the gallery feel welcoming and cozy. Thank you for stopping by and sharing on SM.
DeleteYour post has made me realise I need to get back and visit galleries. I loved doing this when I lived in Sydney but have not been to our regional one for 3 years.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up for #lifethisweek. Next week's optional prompt is Share Your Snaps. Denyse
Thank you, Denyse, for hosting. I'm glad my post prompts you to consider a revisit to your regional art gallery.
DeleteI can't remember the last time I visited a gallery and just looked at art. However long ago it was I have an urge to do so again.
ReplyDeleteI find visiting art galleries enjoyable, like getting a visual treat. I hope you give it a go again.
DeleteAh, the joys and wonders of living in a city like Toronto! I'm glad you stumbled across this extensive gallery, Natalie, so you could share your experiences and some of the photos. I'm sure there's something for everybody here! I especially like the colors of Kuptana and the Genesis gallery - the art work and her names for them!
ReplyDeleteI left Gallery Arcturus with a smile inside out, Liesbet, and it lasted for a while. I now have a few more galleries to discover after I return from Morocco. Hope you're further south in California for warmer temps. BTW, if you have trouble loading my blog, potentially due to the photos, please let me know. I try to limit the size and the number of pics in each post. Thank you.
DeleteSo glad to be able to click on the photos of the artwork and see a larger version of each. McConnachie's paintings are lovely. And I like how they are arranged gives the illusion of looking out a window. At least, that was my take. 'Blown Away' looks like a fun piece but the facial expression is not one of delight or glee. I guess if my hat was blowing away, I wouldn't be gleeful either, though.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you had the gallery to yourself to enjoy the art on your own time frame, without feeling crowded or rushed by other patrons. We are (I hope) going to our art museum tomorrow for a special dia de los muertos event. Looking forward to it.
Thank you so much for your support, friend, and for joining me for this link-up. XO
It was so nice to have the gallery to myself so I could take time studying the art works. The special dia de los muertos event at your art museum should be a beautiful visual treat. Have a fun weekend!
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