Artist Appreciation: Andrew Horne

A, Horne, Pegasus Unicorn2

 Andrew Horne, Pegasus Unicorn

~

The serendipity afforded by the Web still amazes me at times and I love it when it allows me to stumble upon something of pure goodness, as I recently did when I came across the fantastically hip visual art of Toronto-based artist, Andrew Horne.  His “typographic paintings”, in particular, are excellent.  Most of these vivid pieces play around with classic signage and exhibit elements of studied photo-realism, pop-art irony and downright aesthetic gorgeousness.  Above and below is a sampling of Horne’s clever work, more of which can be found at his artist website here.

(Horne also has an entrepreneurial streak, which he channels by operating the very cool Flying Pony Gallery and Cafe in the Little India area of Toronto.)

~

A. Horne, Victory Bar2

~

A. Horne, Renee's Salon Of Beauty2

 ~

A. Horne, 419 Salutations

~

 

Other similar posts on O’Canada:

•  Artist to Appreciate:  Michael E. Glover

•  Sean Yelland’s “Distant” and “Stop Everything”

•  Artist to Appreciate:  Christopher Walker

•  Montreal As Muse for Jeremy Price

Ever-Bustling Early 20th Century Toronto

wToronto----Bay-Street

No Postmark– Around 1920s

The cityscape of Toronto, with its many tall buildings adorned with fine architectural detail and its bustling street-level activity, is most akin to what Americans encounter in the busy cities of New York and Chicago.  These early 20th century postcards highlight the magnitude of Toronto even then.  The people and vintage vehicles in these tinted images add interest and help define scale.

wToronto----King-and-Yonge-

No Postmark — Around 1920s

~

wToronto----Yonge-Street

Postmarked 1910

~

wToronto----Yonge-Street-2

 Postmarked 1918

~

wToronto----Star-Building

Postmarked 1939

~

 

Todd McLellan: Taking Things Apart

Todd McLellan -- Push Mower Apart

Todd McLellan — Push Mower Apart

Toronto-based photographer Todd McLellan loves to take apart machines — especially more solidly built older ones — and capture all the related parts in  striking photographic compositions.  I really like these — they appeal to both an aesthetic and design sensibility as well as my penchant for building things.   See more of his photos and other work on his website here.

Todd McLellan -- Bike Apart

Todd McLellan — Bike Apart

Todd McLellan -- Typewriter Apart

Todd McLellan — Typewriter Apart

Todd McLellan -- Chainsaw Apart

Todd McLellan — Chainsaw Apart

Toronto’s Nuit Blanche

So-called Nuit Blanche arts festivals are held in many cities throughout the world, including in Montreal and Toronto.  Nuit Blanche, translates to “white night” and, more loosely, as “sleepless night” and has been typically associated with winter festivals taking place at night.  This year, Montreal held its Nuit Blanche in February, while Toronto held off until just a few days ago, with its own nighttime arts festival kicking off for twelve hours starting around twilight on October 2.   While I arrived in Toronto for a business trip a day too late to enjoy this first hand, the 2010 event marked the fifth anniversary for this all-nighter out on the town in Toronto.  An unsuspecting visitor to the city that evening might very well have observed the wondrous and grand spectacle of this arts fete and concluded that Torontonians had gone blissfully mad.

%d bloggers like this: