North York Arts is thrilled to be partnering with another visual artist this fall to showcase their work to the North York community. The show is titled Rhythms of the Mind – Aesthetic Self Reflection by Chinese Calligraphy artist, Katherina Kwan.

Katherina Kwan, an accountant originating from Hong Kong, is a passionate calligraphy artist that wants to make the art form more accessible. Her exhibition pushes viewers to look past language and cultural barriers.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Katherina Kwan. I immigrated from Hong Kong in December 1990. Chinese Calligraphy is like “living” art for me. I have learned over so many years and I have truly discovered the joys of calligraphy. I found that it is a freedom to express myself. I started to have exhibitions to share my joys with people and to show that the art is so lovely. That drives me to keep working on the calligraphy almost every week.

How and why did you get involved with Chinese Calligraphy?

When I was a teenager, I went on a trip with my family. We were with a touring company and two of the members were a retired couple. The old man and woman taught in primary schools, but they loved the arts. They taught me about the culture, the arts and a lot of philosophy about Confucius (a Chinese teacher and philosopher). When I got home, we kept writing letters to each other. Close to my graduation, they mailed me a handmade bookmark. The front side was a painting and the backside was calligraphy writing. I loved the writing, I said “wow writing can be so beautiful”. At that time, I started finding teachers to teach me how to write proper calligraphy and then I learned calligraphy in Hong Kong.

Why is it important to engage communities outside the Chinese community with calligraphy?

People who don’t know Chinese always have questions like, “I don’t have the cultural background, I cannot understand what [Chinese Calligraphy] is.” This is something that people struggle with. But my thinking is different – Chinese Calligraphy is like music. I don’t know Italian, I don’t know French, but when an Italian or French singer sings a song, I can feel their mood and emotions. I can enjoy the sound. I don’t know the background and I don’t understand a lot, but I still love it. Chinese Calligraphy is the same. You don’t need to understand Chinese. You can still understand something very pure about the art. That’s what I want to show people.

What does the title Rhythms of the Mind symbolize?

It’s an Asian philosophy about life. The Chinese title means “No Shape, Big Picture.” There is a bigger scenario beyond the shapes you see. Don’t rely just on the shapes to make meaning. That is the “rhythm” I refer to in the English title. The rhythm is not some planned construct, but an instinctual expression. Each stroke of the brush represents my most raw feelings, and from these feelings I illustrate meaning.

As Katherina’s nephew puts it: “You know how to see a picture as a physical thing whereas [Katherina] is trying to paint a concept, and a concept is intangible.”

Rhythm of the Mind will be showcased in the Toronto Centre for the Arts from September 18, 2018 to October 2, 2018. To find more information click here

Simeon Taole and Danielle Ungara are the founders of Cinematoscape, a multi-disciplinary arts company based in Toronto. The organization excels in visual storytelling with a focus on projects for the screen and stage.

Danielle and Simeon are excited to be participating in North York Arts’ pilot program called “The Incubator”. The Incubator is a residency program that aims to respond to gaps in resources for Toronto-based artists. The program gives theatre and dance artists accessible professional theatre space and services to develop their work.

Tell me about yourselves and Cinematoscape.

S: I’m a writer, actor and director working and based here in North York. I have worked in theatre, film and television and I co-founded Cinematoscape.

D: I’m a producer with Cinematoscape. The easiest way to remember our name is cinema-to-escape. When we thought about developing our company we wanted to look for opportunities to develop our own projects, and we are proud to be North York based. Currently, we have an award-winning production company where we do film and stage.

Can you elaborate on the Cinematoscape creative process?

S: We believe in the power of story; it’s key to everything that we do. We look for things that interest us and see how we can explore them. I tend to write about personal experiences and reflect on the past while also trying to imagine the future. We try to find things in the world and within ourselves that spark interest and then take that idea from there.

D: Once we have an idea of what we want to develop, Simeon will start writing; honing characters, plot and research. Then we see what we can do with it on the screen or the stage. With our most recent script, we are excited to continue to develop it and see how it grows.

What are you looking forward to in regards to the Incubator?

S: So looking forward to that! I’ve spent quite some time working on this script for the stage. When you spend so much time in front of a computer, just typing away, it’s all in your head. I’m looking forward to workshopping the play, bringing other actors in, getting the text on its feet, and exploring the story to see what new ideas come from collaborating with other artists.

D: It gives us an opportunity to explore what really works in the atmosphere that it would be produced in. So from a production lense we can start to imagine what the score looks like and what the set design looks like. It will give us that unique opportunity that we haven’t done prior.

Why is it important that artists have accessible high quality space?

S: I think it’s important because as an artist you get to explore the work in a space that you would hope your final product would be in. I’ll use this analogy – It’s like a concert pianist having an opportunity to practice on a piano that’s actually in tune! If you’re a theatre artist, being able to workshop the play where you would actually perform is fantastic!

D: I think it gives us an opportunity to keep work that we’re developing in North York. This is a growing community and more accessible space for artists means more accessible spaces for audiences. The more opportunities we have to support creating arts, means that people will have more options to attend the arts. It’s sort of a win for everyone.  

The Incubator will be held at the Toronto Centre for the Arts Studio Theatre. For more information visit: www.northyorkarts.org/programs. Learn more about Cinematoscape at http://cinematoscape.com/

As Toronto continues to heal after the terrible Yonge St. incident, we are seeing many initiatives and acts of support that are helping inspire and unite the community.

Recently, quilter Berene Campbell led an installation piece called the “Toronto Love Project.” Located in the North York Centre, The Toronto Love Project is comprised of 4″ by 22ft colourful banners with messages of love, made by quilters around the world.

In an interview with Berene, she talks about her decision to start the Toronto Love Project and reminds us of the incredible power of community collaboration.

Tell me a bit about yourself and your artwork.

I am South African, and have lived in Dubai, England, and in Canada for 25 years. I am a graphic designer and a quilter. I teach quilting, make quilts, design patterns and co-ordinate collaborative projects within the quilting community.

Your community projects have been so Impactful around the world. Can you tell me a bit about this and your decision to start the Toronto Love Project?

My first community project was small. I organized a quilt for a friend who had brain cancer. I invited his friends – big hockey guys – to embroider a message on fabric, which was made into a quilt. They’d never threaded a needle, but embraced the process. It was very moving.

In 2013 the Boston bombing occurred, and I felt upset. I decided to make peace and love flags. My local Vancouver quilt guild joined in my project called “To Boston with Love”. We posted it on social media, and within 6 weeks we had almost 2,000 flags from around the world. They were hung in the Museum of Fine Arts – it was amazing! I learned that doing something positive not only makes you feel better, but it makes those participating feel better too. Everyone seeing that energy feels better.

When the Toronto van attack happened, it was so shocking. I felt that this is my town, and I wanted to help the city heal. Again, I wanted to enable people to participate in doing something that would make them feel better. And for the community that receives the gift of the installation, when they walk into that space – they will be uplifted. It’ll be beautiful.

What is the significance behind the hearts in Toronto Love?

I didn’t know North York area, so my husband, Cosmo, and I came up here to look at spaces for the project. As we were walking, Cosmo noticed that just south of Mel Lastman Square there are little bronze hearts embedded into the sidewalk. The fact that they were scattered around where the tragedy occurred seemed so poignant that I just couldn’t ignore them. I designed some heart cards for messages from the community, which hang from the banners.

What role do you think art can play in the healing?

As a person who struggles with anxiety, I find that being creative is helpful, and collaborating with other people prevents you feeling isolated, and makes us part of a bigger picture. I could make all those banners myself and it wouldn’t be as powerful as it if they were made by a community. If you give people a plan to be a part of something good, they jump on board. Collaborative energy is a very powerful thing.

North York Arts would like to thank all who have contributed to this project in support of our community.

North York Arts is excited to have two new summer staff members! They came to us through our internship program which we offer to students looking to enhance their career and gain school credit with practical experience.

Akshata is studying arts administration at Humber College, she will be working as the Event and Sponsorship Assistant. She looks forward to growing her insights through impactful arts and cultural works at North York Arts and gaining a complete understanding of various cultural sectoral needs in present day and in the future.

Tell me a bit about yourself and who you are as an artist

My name is Akashta and I am a newcomer to Canada; I came from India. I did my studies in visual arts and I did my major in painting.  Since my graduation, I have been working on art projects that engage communities through large art installations. I had my first solo exhibition in the UK in 2016 where I put around 1500 paper boats on display as a part of an art installation for newcomers, immigrants and refugees affected by crisis across the globe. I recently had a show as part of a project at the Coldstream Fine Arts gallery in Toronto. It was very similar to what I did in the UK two years back, with 700 paper red boats put across the gallery. That’s my artistic process and journey.

Where does your passion for the arts come from?

I remember as a child I was always drawn to creative activities. I loved painting and enjoyed drawing. Since then, I’ve been drawn towards the arts and this helped me decide to make it my career path. I think with respect to visual arts, my art practice is something where I like to involve the audience into the art and not just let the audience be a viewer from a distance. That is what drives me towards art.

Why did you decide to work in the Arts and Culture Sector

I think the arts and culture sector is one of the most sensitive sectors and, with today’s new technology and complications around the globe, the sector is needed and necessary! I think art is one thing that brings people together, that brings humanity together. The larger reason for being in art is to bring peace through art.

What excites you about interning at North York Arts?

I think it’s the space, the people, the projects, and the activities that they have lined up. I am interested in working with them and growing with them as a Local Arts Service Organization. I think there is a lot to learn about how an organization works at an administrative level and understanding their strategic plans.

North York Arts and the Toronto Centre for the Arts have been working together for the last four years to bring art and community together in North York.

In 2015, Toronto’s City Council approved the consolidation of the governance and operations of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, and Toronto Centre for the Arts into one new organization under the direction of a City appointed board called Civic Theatres Toronto (CTT). CTT completed their amalgamation at the end of 2017.

2018 represents the launch year for the company including a new brand and a new program that covers all venues; North York Arts is looking forward to the changes this will bring for the North York community! That being said, I was excited to talk to Clyde Wagner, President/CEO of CTT.

Tell me a bit about yourself and your passion for Toronto’s arts and culture sector.

I have been fortunate to work internationally for many years but also to have the great joy of often returning home to Toronto. Having been the GM and Executive Producer for the Luminato Festival, I was able to partner with many arts institutions across the city and across all disciplines. This wide range of engagement reasserted my solid faith in the quality and vision of the artists of this city. As a cultural business leader it’s my role to not only support this sector locally but also to loudly promote Canadian and Toronto talent to the world.

What has been the most exciting part about the amalgamation of Toronto’s three civic theatres?

CTT can achieve much more as an amalgamated company through economies of scale including the opportunity to better leverage the talented staff that make up our team. By eliminating the inherent competition that existed between the buildings and activating a unified marketing, programming and operations strategy across all three venues and seven performance spaces, we are able to increase usage and revenue to balance the budget and engage the community in a more meaningful way. Together we can create two cultural hubs for the City of Toronto (Uptown and Downtown); both hold the potential to create a lasting positive impact on their neighborhoods and the city as a whole.

How do you envision CTT and NYA working together to support the local creative community?

The challenge to any company like CTT is how to both connect to a professional community of artists drawing audiences for world class talent but also to provide inspiration and opportunity for emerging artists. Having NYA as a partner to assist in making this connection is vital to our success. They are an essential part of the ecosystem as the catalyst for this dialogue and also as a check for CTT to make sure we always keep rooted in our local communities, not just for our audiences. It’s especially helpful that they have their offices in our building and we happen to be good friends and share the same beliefs!

What can North York expect from CTT in the next year?

The aim is to spotlight artistic activity from the north GTA, including areas such as Woodbridge, Brampton, Downsview, Jane and Finch, Willowdale, Thornhill, Agincourt, etc. to the TCA through continuing partnerships with arts groups. It’s wrong to assume that creativity only happens downtown. We know people are inspired by the communities in which they live, and we need to be a space for those forces and a promoter for that talent.

Last Month at North York Arts, we celebrated our first anniversary of becoming a charity. The year was significant to say the least; it was full of growth in our programs, partnerships, and within the organization. We’re proud and eager to share these milestones with the North York community!

In light of this anniversary and our first annual general meeting taking place this month, I sat down with our board Chair, Kristopher Dell. Kris talked about his career in the arts, his love for North York, and the exciting plans ahead for North York Arts.

Tell me a bit about yourself and what led you to a career in arts and culture.
I am presently the Director of Production for Civic Theatres Toronto in addition to my volunteer role as the chair of the board for North York Arts. I have been working professionally for 25 years and doing shows is literally all I’ve ever wanted to do.  I guess I got the bug while I was in high school; acting in the drama club and things like that. When I got to University (I went to York University for Theatre), they encouraged us to learn a little bit of everything. This meant that I got to do production, and I never looked back.  I studied set design, I studied lighting design, I studied sound design, and I was working before I even finished school.

What drew you to get involved with North York Arts?
I spent a lot of my career working with community groups and not-for-profit arts organizations. I grew to feel very strongly that it was important that people have access to professional arts services – which is exactly what North York Arts is.

What inspires you most about the North York arts and culture community?
It’s diversity; it’s almost infinitely diverse. That gets me really excited because it means that there’s so many possibilities and so many different kinds of shows. I personally like being exposed to new and different kinds of things, and I like the idea that those things could actually cross-pollinate. So, you might see someone singing in farsi, to a hip hop beat, while there is someone doing a painting on stage inspired by that. That’s fascinating for me.

What kind of growth do you see for North York Arts in the next year?
I think North York Arts has a real opportunity in the next year to expand its development programming which is really providing the mentorship and professional level services specifically to youth and also to newcomers. I think that’s really exciting. One of the ideas we’ve talked about is establishing a more permanent presence outside its home office. We want to establish satellite locations through building relationships with local libraries and things like that, and that is also really exciting.