Press-Release: Junction Community Countdown Reviving the Historic Night of 1909

Press-Release: Junction Community Countdown Reviving the Historic Night of 1909
Credit: Junction Historical Society

For Immediate Release

Junction Community Countdown
Reviving the Historic Night of 1909

Who: Mayor David Miller
Samantha Martin and the Boom Times Band
The Boom Times Cabaret
Junction Historical Society
West Toronto Paint and Wallpaper, celebrating its 100th year in the Junction

What: Amalgamation Celebration - West Toronto Junction joins the City of Toronto
Mayor David Miller accepts the Key to the City on the 100th Anniversary

Where: Humberside Collegiate Institute, Gymnasium, 280 Quebec Avenue

When: Friday, May 1, 2009 6 pm - 11 pm

Junction Community Countdown
Reviving the Historic Night of 1909

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Junction Historical Society - April 23, 2009) On the 100th anniversary of Amalgamation -- amid music, dancing, and cabaret-style comedy -- Mayor David Miller will accept the Key to the Junction to mark the historic date when the City of West Toronto Junction joined the City of Toronto as an equal partner.

The May 1st celebration will be a recreation of a similar countdown in 1909 when reportedly thousands of Junction residents gathered to mark this important municipal amalgamation with various festivities and "squeals of delight".

The May 1st anniversary celebration is organized by the Junction Historical Society and sponsored by West Toronto Paint and Wallpaper, which has been adding colour, spirit and prosperity to the Junction since 1909. The Second Annual Junction Homecoming and the Humberside Alumni Association are inviting current and former residents to come and have a hysterical time under the historical murals of Arthur Lismer, of the Group of Seven.

The Junction anniversary and countdown to Amalgamation features cabaret-style comedy, live music by Roots rising star Samantha Martin, a community art sculpture created under the direction of artist Reid English and Latitude 44 and displays of spring floral splendour by Martin’s Flowers - another local business with over 110 years of history in the Junction.

Door prizes will be given away each hour with a grand prize drawn at countdown. The evening will end with dancing to music of the last 100 years and the countdown to amalgamation!

Free! Everyone is Welcome.
Join in Community and Old-Fashioned Fun!

Contact: Kristen Buckley, Chair, Amalgamation Celebration
Tel: 416 5466136
junctionamalgamation@gmail.com

Cristina Senjug, Volunteer
Cell: 647-885-1247

link:
eventful.com: West Toronto Junction Amalgamation Celebration: Reliving the Historic Night of 1909 in Toronto, Canada at Humberside Collegiate Institute

Toronto Junction Arts & Crafts Neighbourhood: Wise Daughters' Story: Part 3

Screenshot: Wise Daughters has joined the new millennium with a Facebook page.

This article follows Part 1 – It’s the Story, posted March 31 and Part 2 – In the Zone, posted April 17.

Part 3 - A Genetic Predisposition

When the Junction-area Wise Daughters vendors and I got together in March to discuss our craftiness, many related their initial impulse to make things to what they saw their mothers, grandmothers, aunts and even one uncle doing. As with everything else, what we see modeled has a big influence. Those of us growing up in the 60s and 70s - the last, hippy-inspired wave of handicraft fever - were exposed to a lot of maternal macramé, and a great many projects involving gold and silver felt, sequins, podgy and other materials that strike us as quite tacky today. One of the artisans described her mother as "spray-painting the bejezus out of bulrushes". Remember all those latch hooked rugs of owls and embroidered floral arrangements from a kit? I worked at the now defunct Lewiscraft chain of craft supply shops and learned to make these and many more such homey items. To me, Lewiscraft was a candy store. I couldn’t believe my luck when I got paid to work there - $2.25 an hour!

My mother, a talented artist, wanted to be a fashion designer when she was young. Her father thought that was frivolous and frowned on the idea. At university in the 40s, a biology class happened to fill a spot in her schedule on Tuesday afternoons. The rest was history... she became one of a handful of women scientists at that time, graduating with an MSc in bacteriology and earning a great deal of respect in the lab at Sick Kids’ hospital for many years. Her beloved White sewing machine (weighing roughly 100 pounds, now on display at Wise Daughters) was relegated to the odd curtain project or the production of highly unusual and unappreciated dresses for me.

On our dining table, for special occasions, there were always hand-embroidered (and very difficult to iron) linens made by my various great and great-great aunts in England and sent along with my grandmother when she arrived to marry my grandfather in 1916. I have a set of china hand-painted by my Aunt Annie in 1913, who also produced exquisite painted cameos. Aunt Mary knit me a baby blanket even though she was well over 80 when I was born. Babies in our family always had intricately smocked dresses. Basically, none of the women in my family ever dared sit down without a needle of some sort in her hand – to sew, embroider, needlepoint or knit. This is pretty much still the case. Call it a genetic predisposition.

Two of my most prized possessions are samplers made by my great-great spinster aunts, Susan and Emma, in 1880. These and other heirlooms from my artistic foremothers will be on display at the Amalgamation Celebration this Friday night, where Wise Daughters volunteers will demonstrate a variety of century old crafts with a modern twist.

2009 © Mary Breen
Owner of the Wise Daughters Craft Market

Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Ave, just south of Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)
There is ample street parking on Dundas and Quebec.
Via TTC: Junction bus from Dundas West Stn,
Lambton bus (or 15 min. walk) from High Park Stn.
www.wisedaughters.com
wisedaughters@sympatico.ca
416-761-1555

Still to come... Part 4 - The Junction Vibe.

Part 1 - It’s the Story
Part 2 - In the Zone
Part 3 - A Genetic Predisposition
Part 4 - The Junction Vibe

The Art of Economics: John Maynard Keynes And The Bloomsburies

Collage: Art in the Junction in a digital frame of the Arts Theatre Logo
Credit: rosreferat.ru

Spring is coming, the tide is turning, and the Junction has already crested the wave softly, gently, slowly leading by example.

Tough times are not a new experience for most artists and when a society experiences this as a whole it is very often the creativity and innovation of the artists that lead the way to a new phase of development and prosperity. It is the provenance to time and place that secures long term value and what began as the Local Option Art Awards in the Junction has evolved more forms of cultural expression.

Due to the tremendous success of the Local Option as an experiment in the Art of Democracy last year the WTJHS will be helping to facilitate a "Stroller Tour" of the Junction, promoting local artists from one end of the Junction to the other throughout the summer. With the climate both environmentally and economically making it much more appealing to do something healthy, educational and local we can capitalize on the Junction's well earned reputation as an arts community and promote this local phenomenon as a great way to spend the day in the Junction.

Arguably the most influential economist of the first half of the 20th C was the titan, John Maynard Keynes. In January I walked into Pandemonium looking for "The Ghost in the Machine" by Arthur Koestler and came out with a biography of Keynes by Robert Skidelsky. Koestler would have been proud of me.

It was Keynes who was responsible for the post WWII boom that established the infrastructures and educated middle class that elevated millions from poverty until Margret Thatcher and Ronald Regan became enamoured with Milton Friedman and Frederick Hayek’s laissez - faire free market economy; anything goes, the markets will balance themselves-- that has plunged us into this economic winter of doom. However I'm delighted to find great sections of Keynes economic policies are being reimplemented to our south and at home as the thaw allows the shovels to restore the infrastructures. The Keynesian experiment has become the precedent for a successful boom that lasted 40 years and had his theory been continued would have avoided this crisis altogether.

So, where is the art in all this you ask? Well, John Maynard Keynes was the financier responsible for an artistic phenomenon known as the Bloomsbury Group that was strongly influenced by the Impressionist movement. The Bloomsburies had a radical approach to the role of art in social structure with a strong commitment to local culture. Keynes concept of full employment included artists as leaders and innovators. By supporting local artists a ferment is created and if the buzz resonates strongly enough precipitates unique artists who gain high profile recognition and elevate others and the environment that produced them. Unlike the handpicked, golden handcuffed protégée of Sachi and 'branded' markets that benefit the few to the detriment of many, Keynes artistic model provides a broader and more enduring prosperity for the benefit of the community at large.

The Local Option Art Awards was based on these fundamental principles. It was a overwhelming success and the Local Option Gala in October at Latitude 44 Gallery is considered the most fun and exciting event of 2008 in Junction. The guest speaker Don Thompson, whose book The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art said the walls around us are where the true value of art is to be found. If we recognize, appreciate and support it.

May 1st will be a unique opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary and dynamic culture of the Junction at Humberside Collegiate Institute between 6 and 11 pm as we celebrate the Amalgamation Centennial, 100 Years since the Junction saved Toronto from bankruptcy by agreeing to a union of two equal and independent cities. We are commemorating the Centennial with a re-enactment of the celebrations that launched the Junction into it's most dynamic and prosperous phase with intelligence born of strong community spirit for the benefit all all.

Admission is free and EVERYONE is welcome. For more info see the artjunction's Amalgamation Centennial page or contact the Junction Historical Society at wtjhs.ca.

2009 © Cara Reeves

West Toronto Junction Amalgamation Celebration: Reliving the Historic Night of 1909

Poster: Come Home to the Junction!
West Toronto Junction Amalgamation Celebration 1909 - 2009
Credit: West Toronto Junction Historical Society

Toronto festivals and events

Junction Amalgamation Celebration: Reliving the Historic Night of 1909

Date: Friday, May 1, 2009

Time: 6 pm - 11 pm

Address: Humberside Collegiate Institute
280 Quebec Avenue
Quebec and Annette Streets

TTC: From High Park subway station, take the #30 Bus to Annette.

Description: The Junction Historical Society and West Toronto Paper and Wallpaper present:

Amalgamation Celebration 1909-2009

Come Home to the Junction and Celebrate the Union of Two Great Cities

with

[ V ] 2nd Annual Junction Homecoming

[ V ] Free Family Activities presented by Junction businesses and Community Organizations

[ V ] Boom Times Cabaret Amalgamation Talk Show

[ V ] Dance and Mingle to 100 Years of Canadian Music

[ V ] Live Music featuring Sam Martin and the Boom Times Band

[ V ] Countdown to Amalgamation with Neighbours, Family and Friends!

Cost: Free

On the 100th anniversary of Amalgamation -- amid music, dancing, and cabaret-style comedy -- Mayor David Miller will accept the Key to the Junction to mark the historic date when the City of West Toronto Junction joined the City of Toronto as an equal partner. The May 1st celebration will be a recreation of a similar countdown in 1909 when reportedly thousands of Junction residents gathered to mark this important municipal amalgamation with various festivities and "squeals of delight".

For more information contact:
Phone: 416-546-6136
web: www.wtjhs.ca
email: junctionamalgamation@gmail.com

links:
Toronto festivals and events calendar: Junction Amalgamation Countdown: Reliving the Historic Night of 1909
insidetoronto.ca: 2009 marks anniversary of Junction City, Toronto amalgamation
By Lisa Rainford
insidetoronto.ca: Celebrating the 100 years after amalgamation in The Junction
By Lisa Rainford
City of Toronto: Toronto's 175th Anniversary: Events: West Toronto Junction Historical Society

Junction Historical Society Exposition: The Evening Telegram
Originally uploaded by IT Ceremony.

Junction Literary Pub Crawl with Glen Downie: Notes & Impressions

Photo: Junction Literary Pub Crawl with Junction poet Glen Downie
Saturday April 18, 2009

Celebrating the History of Literacy in the Junction for the Centennial of the Annette Street Library

Nature provided the perfect spring Saturday afternoon. As I walked down Medland towards the library I saw the first of those to come out onto the front steps, chief among them tour Leader A.B. Rice, resplendent in blue silk brocade vest and frock coat. As I got closer more and more people were spilling out onto the side walk. We had expected about 20 people but found we had 90 all told. Frank Remiz retrieved the JBIA bullhorn stowed in the archives in case our wildest dreams came true and we had over 30 on the tour. Frank served tech duties admirably throughout the afternoon and we were greatly appreciated of his assistance.

Photo: Junction Literary Pub Crawl with Glen Downie

We met the owner of Minerva Reid's house and Gib Goodfellow, our illustrious President of the WTJHS was able to point out the murmur ear on the utility pole so the gentleman could phone and hear the history of his home any time he liked. In the parking lot next to the Police station we heard of the defiance of Junction resident Anna Leung who helped break down racial segregation barriers by screaming in the front row of the Palladium Theatre, Toronto, until she was allowed to retain her seat. The audience supported her and she won her place in the front row of Junction History 100 years later.

Gwendolyn MacEwen the quintessential mystic poet of the early 1960's won world renown and first read at the Bohemian Embassy..... which conjours images of Yorkville scene that was London's Carnaby Street or New York’s Soho. Gwendolyn born, at Keele and Bloor, spent most of her early life in the Junction, in fact she was Gib Goodfellow's dance partner in Grade school. It was he who conjured Gwen's spirit by suggesting Kristen Buckley for the role.

Neil Ross gave a tour de force performance as A.B. Rice... standing on the replica platform reading a poem by Raymond Souster about the details of the removal of the original CPR Station that happened like a slight of hand in the middle of night kind of thing. Poets reporting the news as has been handed down like Norse sagas of the medieval troubadours.

At the Troubadour Glen Downie read a poem about his experience trying to get cast as himself in the Toronto One Book celebrations... it was hilarious and we're so glad sense prevailed and Glen got to be himself..... for it was definitely a wonderful highlight of the tour to be present as presented his work. Local poets read lively poems about nature, the universe, the Junction and the human condition.... and the tour ended with a piano bar rendition (accompanied by Alice Derdon) of the early 20th Classic that many are still aware of, floating on the boundaries of their psyche along with Sam McGee... Dangerous Dan McGrew by Robert Service.

The old and the new co-mingled in the vibrant atmosphere of storied reflections of the landscape appearing eternal ....which is the hope and dream of every poet.... that their voices would echo in the landscape forever. So far, so good. Thanks again to Neil Ross and David Wencer for assembling the history and all those who helped make this event possible. A special mention to Pam Mountain of the Annette Street Library who was beaming like sunshine the whole afternoon at the incredible success of this wonderful venture. It was really fun to see so many happy people.

2009 © Cara Reeves

Photo: Junction Literary Pub Crawl with Glen Downie

links:
junctioneer: West Toronto Junction Literary Walking Tour and Pub Crawl Recap
cbc.ca/ideas: Robert Weaver: Godfather of Canadian Literature
thescream.ca: Book-length Dinner Reading: Gwendolyn MacEwen’s A Breakfast for Barbarians
artjunction: Happy Birthday Toronto from the Junction
artjunction: Annette Street Public Library Upcoming Spring Highlights
keeptorontoreading.ca: Meet One Book author Glen Downie

Meet Amazing Local Artist David Crighton and Get Inspired: Junction Residents' Association Lecture Series

Flyer: Junction Residents Association's Lecture Series in the Junction!
Image "The Junction" Dundas West © David Crighton 2008
Credit: Junction Residents Association

April 24, 2009 update to the lecture announcement:
The JRA lecture to held in the basement of the Annette St. Library on Monday evening April 27th, has been postponed.
(NEW DATES TBA)
For More Information:
JRA
junctioneer: David Crighton Annette St. Library on Monday evening Apr 27th, has been canceled

Lecture Series in the Junction!

The JRA and the Annette Street Public Library are proud to be co-sponsoring our first "Lecture Series in the Junction"

Each lecture is prepared for a general audience by a leading authority on the subject and will be held at
145 Annette Street
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

On Monday April 27th we have invited David Crighton,
an amazing local artist, to share with us some of his inspirations and techniques.

Beginning at an early age, David’s fascination with art and architecture developed into a career which combines them both.

Since 1974, David has been recording the architectural diversity of Toronto and Southern Ontario with his distinct style.

Don’t miss this artfully informative opportunity!!

Open to the public

Junction Residents Association

Annette Street Public Library
Lower Level, Committee Room 1
145 Annette Street, Toronto, ON M6P 1P3
(southwest corner of Annette and Medland Streets, one and a half blocks west of Keele)
416-393-7692
Historical Name: West Toronto Public Library

The 'Junction City' Centennial Event: the Local Option Art Awards Tour
Entry #: 10
Artist: David Crighton
Junction Theme: "My Junction" - a "Community of the Crossroads"

link:
Vital Links Between Arts and Business: Toronto Junction Local Option

Keeping Junction Clean and Beautiful: Community Clean-up Day

Collage: Keeping Junction Clean and Beautiful: Community Clean-up Day
Credit: toronto.ca + livegreentoronto + junctionra.ca

We all can make a difference in keeping YOur Junction clean and beautiful!

Mayor David Miller's
Community Clean-up Day

Our group: Junction Residents Association
is meeting: Pacific Ave and Dundas St West
at the Green P parking

to clean up the Neighbourhood

on Saturday, April 25, 2009
at 10 am to 2 pm

Please come join us to keep our neighbourhood clean.

Please wear protective clothing like boots and gloves.

toronto.ca + livegreentoronto + junctionra.ca

Toronto Top 10 litter tips:

1. Once you butt out, butt in. Smokers, put your butts in the ashtray and cigarette packs in the bin.
2. You can pop it in the bin. Recycle your pop cans.
3. Roll up to the bin and toss it in. Everyone's drinking coffee on the go - make sure your cup ends up in the bin.
4. Don't make yesterday's news tomorrow's trash. The real news would be if we all recycled our newspapers.
5. Gum shoe blues. Aim for the bin, not the sidewalk.
6. Fast food = fast litter. Put the brakes on fast food litter.
7. Dial "L" for litter. Program your cell's speed dial to 39-CLEAN to report litter hot spots.
8. Everybody needs a pick-me-up. Pledge to pick up one piece of litter daily.
9. Bin there, do that. With thousands of bins out there, just walk those few extra steps.
10. Talking trash is okay. Remind family, friends, kids and colleagues not to litter.

Please Keep Toronto Clean and Beautiful!
The Junction ~ A new town within a great city

link:
junctioneer: Cleanup day tomorrow April 25th Saturday

May Events and Workshops at Wise Daughters' Craft Market

Screenshot: Wise Daughters Craft Market Newsletter, May 2009

Special May Events at Wise Daughters

Mother’s Day Clothing Swap
Sat, May 9, 2 – 6 pm
Bring your gently used women’s/teen’s clothing to Wise Daughters anytime between May 1 – 8 and come back May 9 to build your wardrobe with treasures from somebody else’s closet. All items $1, proceeds to benefit the Redwood Shelter. From 4 – 6 pm, take advantage of a free body type analysis from creative image consultant Wendy Woods of The Refinery.

Bloor West Village Art Tour
May 29 - 31
2009 marks the 12th annual Bloor West Village Art Tour, a free community event that offers a view inside art studios, galleries and shops. Work by Mary Sims-Morey will be on exhibit at Wise Daughters.
See www.arttour.info for full tour information.

More Marvellous May Events

Toronto Junction Amalgamation Celebration
Fri, May 1, 6 – 11 pm, Humberside Collegiate
Wise Daughters will demonstrate century old crafts with a new twist at the Junction’s Amalgamation Celebration, 6 pm - 11 pm at 280 Quebec Ave. See www.wtjhs.ca for details.

Wise Daughters is sponsoring A Handmade Market, May 16 at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W.
This craft fair showcases talented Etsy (online) craft vendors in the GTA. For more information, visit www.handmademarkettoronto.blogspot.com.

May Workshops - Please pre-register

Wise Daughters presents the 3rd in a series of interactive talks on home design.
Wo-Built Home Design Series
Wed, May 13, 7 – 9 pm
Topic: Kitchens and bathrooms
Series continues every 3rd Wednesday.
Each session $10.

Beginner Knitting Workshop
Tues, May 5, 7 – 9 pm
Learn the basics while you knit a face cloth.
$50 includes needles and yarn.

Felt Moose Trophy Head Workshop
Sun, May 24, 1 – 4 pm
Back by popular demand! Learn to needle felt a moose trophy head.
$60 includes all materials.

Felt Flirt Workshop
Tues, May 26, 7:30 – 8:30pm
Needle-felter extraordinaire Wendo Van Essen will be back to share how to make a voluptuous felt flirt.
$30 includes all materials.

Every Thursday is Sit 'n' Stitch night from 7 - 9 pm.
No charge. Drop in to knit, needlepoint, crochet or whatever you like to do, in the company of other crafty people! BYO mug for tea/coffee.

Visit www.wisedaughters.com for more workshop info, call 416-761-1555 to register for workshops.

Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Ave, just south of Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)
There is ample street parking on Dundas and Quebec.
Via TTC: Junction bus from Dundas West Stn,
Lambton bus (or 15 min. walk) from High Park Stn.
www.wisedaughters.com
wisedaughters@sympatico.ca
416-761-1555

links:
Toronto Junction Arts & Crafts Neighbourhood: Wise Daughters' Story
Mother’s Day Clothing Swap at Wise Daughters: Update your wardrobe, recycle and support the Redwood Shelter!
April Events and Workshops at Wise Daughters' Craft Market
March Events and Workshops at Wise Daughters' Creative Place

Junction BIA Presenting 38 Photographers in the 2009 CONTACT Toronto Photography Festival

Screenshot: Press-Release: The Junction Business Improvement Area (BIA) is proud to be presenting more photographers in the 2009 CONTACT Photography festival than before.
Credit: thejunctionbia.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATTN: ARTS, BUSINESS AND NEWS JOURNALISTS

"The Junction Business Improvement Area (BIA) is proud to be presenting more photographers in the 2009 CONTACT Photography festival than before."

Toronto - April 20, 2009: The 13th annual CONTACT Toronto Photography Festival — the largest photography event in the world — throughout May more than 1,000 Canadian and international image artists and photographers are showcased at more than 210 venues. The Junction, one of Toronto’s major arts communities, has more venues in six short blocks than anywhere in Toronto (25 venues and 38 photographers).

On Saturday, May 2, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., all 25 venues will be holding opening night receptions. The entire Junction will be like one large gallery with viewers bustling up and down the streets between venues. Augmenting this exciting festival, the Junction BIA is honoured to present a free outdoor screening on May 2 at 9 p.m. of Jennifer Baichwal’s 2006 documentary "Edward Burtynsky: Manufactured Landscapes". This visually stunning film follows the world renowned Toronto photographer showing his spectacular photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes, specifically China’s massive industrial revolution. Burtynsky’s photographs are treasured in museums around the world: National Gallery of Canada, the Bibliotèque Nationale in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art and Guggenheim Museum in New York. This internationally published photographer currently sits on the Board of CONTACT.

2009 marks the 8th year that the Junction BIA has participated in the festival. CONTACT draws more than 1.5 million people across Toronto to its events and exhibits.

"We have an eclectic collection of photographers this year representing the theme Still Revolution, justly depicting the transformation of the photographic process and subject matter over the years" says Anna-Louise Richardson, JBIA executive director. "This is our biggest festival to date and we expect a large turn out from the neighbourhood and beyond to come and take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to view these artists."

Among the many displays this year, attendees can look forward to the SMASH gallery exhibit featuring renowned Brooklyn, New York street culture photographer and author Jamel Shabazz.

All venues are located around Keele Street and Dundas Street West, from Indian Grove to Quebec Avenue. Please see attached map.

For media inquiries and more information about CONTACT exhibits in the Junction please phone or email:

Anna-Louise Richardson
Executive Director
The Junction BIA
416-767-9068
info@thejunctionbia.com

Poster: Contact May 2-31, 2009
Photography in the Junction: 25 Junction Galleries, 38 Photographers
Sponsored by The Junction BIA

link:
Contact09 Transforms the Junction Artscape into a Huge Photo Gallery: Take Your Best Shot!

Toronto Junction Arts & Crafts Neighbourhood: Wise Daughters' Story: Part 2

Collage: Toronto Junction Arts & Crafts Neighbourhood: Wise Daughters' Story

Photos by Serena McCarroll

2009 © Wise Daughters Craft Market

Part 2 - In the Zone

Crafters and artists have a habit of staying up all night when the muse is with them. Sometimes, knitters, weavers and sewers, to name just a few, sustain repetitive strain injuries. When the Wise Daughters local suppliers and I got together, I asked them, "Why did you choose this path – or did it choose you?" Nearly everyone present answered that they felt "compelled" to make things with their hands. Some referred to it as an addiction. All could relate to the feeling of being "in the zone", where time stands still and it's only about the creation process. One of the crafters confessed to raiding the school craft cupboard to feed her habit. The cross-stitching man among us was determined enough to overcome the stigma of being a boy crafter. Another admitted that she never could find her third eye in yoga, but beading... that did it for her.

Making things is undeniably therapeutic, unless it's in a mandatory grade 8 home ec/industrial arts class. For some of us, it’s the soothing rhythmic motion of knitting, needlepoint or carving that does the trick, allowing the mind to either clear or wander freely. For others, it’s the painstakingly precise action of sewing, beading or quilling that provides release. Regardless, it’s the process that matters. Nobody starts out making something for the purpose of selling it. It’s only when family and friends, or even strangers, suggest that the item is marketable that we consider the earning potential of what we do. But artists make art without regard to whether it will sell. Sales, however, can serve to validate this expenditure of time, sometimes in the eyes of dubious spouses, parents or children.

When we’re kids, we’re always being encouraged to draw pictures, proudly displayed on fridges. What happens when we hit adolescence? Suddenly we’re encouraged to pursue only those things were "good at", dropping the rest. Many of us abandon sports for years, if not forever. Others never pick up a coloured pencil or paintbrush again, or not until retirement, when such frivolity can be indulged with impunity. It’s a sad situation. It’s why Wise Daughters is encouraging grown-ups to come out and play again – to have fun making sock monkeys, moose head trophies, knitted face cloths, lovely greeting cards - but also to reconnect with that childlike joy that comes from simply creating, for its own sake.

2009 © Mary Breen
Owner of the Wise Daughters Craft Market

Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Ave, just south of Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)
There is ample street parking on Dundas and Quebec.
Via TTC: Junction bus from Dundas West Stn,
Lambton bus (or 15 min. walk) from High Park Stn.
www.wisedaughters.com
wisedaughters@sympatico.ca
416-761-1555

Coming in future instalments... why those of us with mothers who liked to spray paint things in the 70s are compelled to make stuff, and why we choose to do it in the Junction.

Part 1 - It’s the Story
Part 2 - In the Zone
Part 3 - A Genetic Predisposition
Part 4 - The Junction Vibe

Contact 2009 Transforms the Junction Artscape into a Huge Photo Gallery: Take Your Best Shot!

Poster: Photography in the Junction
Credit: Junction BIA

CONTACT09 Photography in the Junction
Sponsored by the Junction BIA

May 1, 2009 to May 31, 2009

Opening Night
Receptions
All Venues
Saturday, May 2
6 pm to 9 pm
Dundas Street West from Indian Grove to Quebec Avenue (surrounding Keele)

Information:
Anna Louise Richardson
The Junction BIA
3042 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M6P 1Z3
416-767-9068
info@thejunctionbia.com
www.junctionbia.com

artists & venues

Alex Sproll
Havana Streets ’04
Curated by Lucia Maceda
COOL HAND OF A GIRL
2804 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y5

Amanda MacInnis, Jes Sache
Obama 08
Curated by Neill Cunningham
PANDEMONIUM NEW & USED BOOKS & DISCS
2862 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y8

Brian Anderson
Definition Series - 2009
Curated by Edward Rowtmann-Hunter
STUDIO CYCLE GROUP
2923 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z1

Brian Barrer
Perception Is Reality, Reality Is Perception
Curated by Sue McClelland
CORNERSTONE FINE FURNITURE & ANTIQUES
2886 Dundas Street West, Toronto M6P 1Y8

Chris Harrison, Elena Willis, M Gloria Nieto Montero, Thomas A. Evers, Violet Foder
Art And Photography
Curated by Colleen Johnston
ACADEMY OF REALIST ART
2968 Dundas Street W, Ste 200, Toronto M6P 1Y8

Dave Biesse, Charlotte Leonard
Terra Australis
Curated by Dave Biesse & Charlotte Leonard
DAVEBIESSE.COM LIFESTILE PHOTOGRAPHY
2836 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y7

Der Wei Chan, Kye Marshall
Music of Photography
Curated by Roger Bu
AXIS GALLERY & GRILL
3048 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z3

Gerard Baron
An Un(Common) Family
Curated by Ciara Bracken-Roche
AGORA MEDITERRANEAN MARKET CAFE
3015 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z4

Jamal Shabazz, Steve Carty, Che Kothari
Three Generations Of Urban Portraiture
Curated by Jerome Jenner
SMASH
2880 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y8

Janis Rees
A Ghost Story
KALEIDOSCOPE PHOTOGRAPHY
2990 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z3

Jim Blomfield
From Rock And Ages Past
Curated by Antonietta Scarafile
THE RELAX SHACK
3026 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z3

John Huba, Marilyn Lightstone, Scott McClellan, Glenn Novak, Burke Paterson
Still Transition
Curated by Janet DiBernardo
LATTITUDE 44 GALLERY, FRAMING, DECOR
2900 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1y8

Josee Caza
Fathercraft
Curated by Michelle Vella
THE BEET ORGANIC CAFE & MARKET
2945 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z2

Linda Briskin
Ode To Julia Margaret Cameron
Curated by Darlene Adam
THE HAIR LOUNGE
2940 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y8

Mark Kasumovic, Vanessa Phillips
Ideal Landscapes
Curated by Martin Scott
FOREVER INTERIORS
2903 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z3

Mary Farmilant
Examination of Forgotten Spaces
Curated by Doug Killaly
POST & BEAM RECLAMATION
2869 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y9

Matthew Marigold
And The Circus Leaves Town
Curated by Kristy Hollidge
THE TROUBADOUR BAR
3071 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z5

Moe Laverty
Road Trip
Curated by Digs Dorfman
THE SWEET POTATO
2995 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z4

Nicolai Grut
Bits of Places
Curated by Pascal Abboud
PASCAL'S BAGUETTE & BAGELS
2904 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Y8

Oksana Mansour
The Window
Curated by Peter Reese
ECLECTIC REVIVAL
3075 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z5

Robert Doda
New York
Curated by Alan Ford
WEST TORONTO PAINT
2975 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z2

Sabrina Russo
Shaking
Curated by Piera Pugliese
BENDING SPOONS GALLERY AT VESUVIO PIZZERIA AND SPAGHETTI HOUSE
3014 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z3

Sandi Wheaton
Town For Sale
Curated by Deborah Friesen
DEBORAH FRIESEN ARCHITECT INC.
386 Pacific Avenue, Toronto M6P 2R1

Stephen J. Edgar
Transitory
Curated by Jennifer Rashliegh
DELIGHT
3040 Dundas Street W, Toronto M6P 1Z3

Stephen Myers
City Of Heroes (Santiago and San Luis, Cuba)
Curated by Monica and Maritza Pillajo
ESPRESSO MI VIDA
392 Pacific Avenue, Toronto M6P 2R1

PS: Contact 09 Festival Theme is STILL REVOLUTION
"the first truly revolutionary means of reproduction, photography..." Walter Benjamin

FESTIVAL LAUNCH & STILL REVOLUTION OPENING CELEBRATION
Presented by MOCCA
MAY 1, 7 - 10PM
Free
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
952 Queen St W, Toronto M6J 1G8
Gallery, Art & Design District
btwn Ossington Ave & Shaw St
Wheelchair access
T 416 395 0067 F 416 395 7598
E info@contactphoto.com
W event website

links:
artjunction: CONTACT Toronto 2006:Outdoor Projection in The Junction
artjunction: Contact Toronto 2006: Mark Your Calendar
artjunction: CONTACT07 Toronto Photography Festival in the Junction
artjunction: CONTACT08 Photography in the West Toronto Junction
artjunction: Contact Toronto Photography Festival 2009: Junction BIA Call for Submissions

Mother’s Day Clothing Swap at Wise Daughters: Update your wardrobe, recycle and support the Redwood Shelter!

Flyer: Mother’s Day Clothing Swap at Wise Daughters Saturday, May 9, 2009
2009 @ wisedaughters.com

Mother’s Day Clothing Swap at Wise Daughters

Saturday, May 9, 2009
2 – 6 pm

3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Ave, just south of Dundas, behind Crema Coffee,
in the Junction)

Update your wardrobe, recycle and support the Redwood Shelter!

It’s easy:

1. Clear out your closet of fashions that aren't "you" or don’t fit
2. Bring your nice, clean, gently used items to the shop anytime between May 1 – May 8
3. Come back May 9 to choose fashions from other people’s closets for only $1 per item
4. Be chic and happy knowing that 100% of proceeds will go to the Redwood

You'll be recycling, supporting a great cause and improving your wardrobe all in one day!

From 4 – 6 pm, get a free body type analysis from creative image consultant Wendy Woods of THE REFINERY (www.therefinery.ca) to help you find items that do fit!

This swap includes women's / teens' clothing and accessories only.

About the Redwood:
Too many women and children are living with domestic violence because they simply can't see a way out. By supporting The Redwood, you can help them take the leap of faith. Your contribution to The Redwood will help provide services in over 170 different languages, including:

• 24 hour support and shelter for women and children fleeing abuse
• Art and play therapy groups for children and toddlers
• Tutoring help for youth and teens
• Employment training, job search help
• Help with family and immigration legal issues
• Assistance in finding and setting up an affordable new home

For more info, visit www.wisedaughters.com
Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops

More Mother's Day celebration ideas:
treesontario.ca: Ontario's First 50 Million Tree Weekend Launched
Major tree planting events to take place in Ontario on Mother's Day Weekend
Planting Locations for Ontario's First 50 Million Tree Weekend - May 8 & 9, 2009
To sign up or for more information and maps, go to http://www.50milliontreeweekend.com/

canadabay.nsw.gov.au: City of Canada Bay Council: 2009 Mother's Day Go Local Promotion

Happy Mother's Day!

Easter Around the World: Toronto's Communities Displays on Easter Traditions Today

Photo: "Easter around the world". Polish table.
Credit: flickr.com/photos/digitaloksana
Uploaded by DigitalOks on 2 April 2007

The Community Folk Art Council of Toronto
Invites You to:

2009 Easter Around the World Festival

When: Sunday, April 5, 2009
Time: 12- 5pm
Where: Toronto City Hall, Rotunda
Location: 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2N1
Google Map: 100 Queen St W Toronto, ON

See 15 different ethnic communities displays on their EASTER traditions, in Art & Crafts, Egg Painting, Traditional foods

Admission: Free

44th Easter Around the World 15 nationalities participate!
at the Rotunda of City Hall
100 Queen St. W.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
12:00 - 5:00 pm
This year 's celebration promises to be a colourful event, with Easter eggs and other traditional special Easter home baking for purchase. Customary Easter foods such as Polish sausage and the extravagant Easter breads and cakes from the Ukraine, Macedonia, Slovakia, The Philippines and Serbia will be showcased at the display. The festival offers an excellent opportunity for children and families to learn about how different cultures celebrate Easter.
See how these groups celebrate Easter with special events and customs.

The Community Folk Art Council of Metropolitan Toronto
For more info:
416-368-8743
www.cfactoronto.com

Happy Easter!

links:
Toronto: Easter Around the World Festival 2007
Visit CFAC on facebook

Annette Street Public Library Upcoming Spring Highlights

Poster: Junction Literary Pub Crawl with Junction poet Glen Downie
Credit: TPL, Annette Street Branch

Toronto Public Library, Annette Street Branch
and The Junction Historical Society
invite you to a:
Junction Literary Pub Crawl
with
2008 Toronto Book Award Author
2009 Toronto One Book Author
Junction poet Glen Downie
April 18, 2009 2pm
Annette Street Library
LEGEND
Red line denotes the route of the tour.
Photos:
Glen Downie
Junction journalist A.B. Rice as portrayed by Neil Ross
Gwendolyn MacEwen will be portrayed by Kristen Buckley

Upcoming Events at Annette Street Public Library

Spring has begun, and what a better time to get out to explore things going on in the neighbourhood? We have so many activities - for all ages - I won't list them all here, but refer you to the Toronto Public Library website where you can get up-to-date information online www.torontopubliclibrary.ca.

Some of the spring highlights:
For Youth
Anime and Cartooning with Dirk. Learn from experienced illustrator Dirk Michiels how to draw Anime and cartoon characters in this fun, hands-on workshop. Ages 8 and up. Free but you need to register in advance. Saturday April 25, 2-4pm

St John Ambulance Babysitting Course for ages 11 and up. $35 fee. Register by calling St John's Ambulance at 416-967-4244 Saturday May 2, 9:30 - 4:30
Free Filmmaking Workshop with Filmberries Kids Club. Filmmaking for ages 6-12. Pre-registration required. Saturday May 9, 2-4pm

For Preschoolers
Babies (0 -18 months) Tuesdays, 2:30 pm April 7 - May 12

Toddlers (19 months - 3 years) Wednesdays, 10:30 am April 8 - May 13

For Adults
Tea and Books Wednesday April 1, May 6, 2-3pm
Join us Wed April 1 to hear John Rutherford discussing The Wizard of Oz. This is not "just" a children's story - Baum used it as a platform for his ideas on religion, Freud, the Women's Suffragette Movement, and most important of all, as a criticism of the lack of information for adolescents on sexual maturation, in this case, for Dorothy. John deals with the original story written by Baum in 1900 and the more explicit Judy Garland movie of 1939, this year celebrating its 70th anniversary. He looks at the recent flurry of books and plays relating to The Wizard of Oz - Maguire's A Lion Among Men and Wicked, Salmon Rushdie's The Wizard of Oz, William Leach's Land of Desire: Merchants, Power and the Rise of a New American Culture and a recent adaptation of Wedekind's play Spring Awakening. This promises to be a fascinating talk!

Junction Literary Tour with Glen Downie Saturday April 18, 2-4pm
This unique event begins with poetry readings by Junction resident Glen's Loyalty Management. Also in attendance will be historical characters from The Junction, who will lead us on a literary tour of the neighbourhood. We will end up at The Troubadour, where Glen will read more poetry. And then it is your turn, if you want a few minutes to share a poem of yours. Glen's book won The City of Toronto Book Award, and is the One Book chosen to "Keep Toronto Reading" (You can pick up a One Book Reader's Guide at any branch of the Toronto Public Library).

Let's hope for a beautiful spring day for this jaunt through words and time and The Junction!

Pam Mountain
Branch Head
Annette Street Public Library
145 Annette Street
Toronto, ON, M6P 1P3
Phone: 416-393-7521
Fax: 416-393-7412
pmountain@torontopubliclibrary.ca