We have enjoyed seeing so many of you visit the gallery in recent weeks.  Our strong start to 2011 has set the pace for the art exhibitions and events ahead!   This Saturday, February 26th we open In the Neighbourhood, a special exhibition looking to both historical as well as contemporary artists as a platform to open up and rediscover our very own neighbourhood.  Many thanks to all involved in our Jean-Paul Riopelle exhibition from last month.  Ingram Gallery was the only Ontario stop for this internationally travelling and well received exhibition.

In the Neighbourhood

26 February - 19 March . 2011   

Yorkville and the Annex

Looking west to the Annex and east to Yorkville, Ingram Gallery loves calling Avenue Road home.   At 11am on Saturday the 26th of February we open the doors to In the Neighbourhood.  Through the eyes of historical Canadian artists, paired with the contemporary work of Toronto based painter Sean Yelland and works from Rachel Berman's recent Toronto studio visit -- we take a new look at our neighbourhoods.

Historical works include paintings, drawings & etchings by: Albert FRANCK, Barker FAIRLEY, Caven ATKINS, Jack BEDER, O.C. MADDEN & Nicholas HORNYANSKY.

Brickworks and Brewery

Founded in 1830 by entrepreneur Joseph Bloor (after whom Bloor Street, one of Toronto's main thoroughfares, is named), the Village of Yorkville began as a residential suburb with two main industries, the first being the Yorkville Brick Yards in today's Ramsden Park, which

manufactured Yorkville's famous yellow brick and can be seen at the historic Yorkville Firehall on Yorkville Avenue. The second industry was beer making with breweries such as The Severn Brewery and the Joseph Bloor Brewery.  

The neighbourhood's Victorian-style homes, quiet residential streets and picturesque gardens survived into the 20th century, when it was annexed by the City of Toronto.

History of Yorkville: Thanks to the Bloor-Yorkville BIA 

In the 1960s the area became very popular with the counter culture and was labelled the Canadian capital of the hippie movement.  As it evolved into a cultural hotbed to musicians, poets and philosophers, Yorkville became the corner of what is hot and what is happening!  Great change in the 70s and 80s subsequently laid the foundation for the neighbourhood as we know it today. 

People paused in cafés, Yorkville's town hall, Caven Atkins' Howland Avenue studio and O.C. Madden's on Huron -- the subject matter of In the Neighbourhood makes for a fresh and informative exhibition.  Out and about in the neighbourhoods on a sunny day in February and March?  Be sure to drop in for a visit.

  >>  Please contact the gallery for full exhibition details, including a catalogue as PDF.        

Much goes on behind the scenes and in the studios to create the great works that we are so fortunate to hang on our gallery walls.  Whether spending an afternoon in an artist's downtown Toronto studio, or taking a virtual visit to Florence, Italy, we enjoy the ongoing dialogue and artful interactions sustained in working with such great artists.

With the upcoming spring contemporary solo exhibitions soon upon us, in recent weeks we have visited with Sara Sniderhan and Sean Yelland in studio.  We have also received fresh new works from Rachel Berman, the first since wrapping up her Toronto studio visit.   

Our complete 2011 exhibition schedule is online and most useful for saving the date and planning your visits to the gallery:  

www.ingramgallery.com/exhibitions/index.html 

Born in Toronto in 1966, Yelland's muse is his city.   Cemented by our recent time in studio, Yelland is an important voice in Canadian contemporary paint.  The new large scale works in This is how I feel all the time, are imbued with a great deal of thought, care and technical skill.  Beyond our windows and windshields, Yelland's 7th solo at Ingram Gallery, reflects new ways of looking and interpreting the urban landscape and life in the city.

Keep an eye out for press for Yelland's upcoming solo in Toronto Life and be sure to save the date!

Just this morning we received yet another new post of works to the gallery.  We look forward to opening In the Neighbourhood and to seeing you at the gallery soon.  As we wrap up this issue, we are excited to share that Sharon Okun is currently exhibiting in  a group show in London, UK and that a Jon Claytor painting is featured on a newly released album cover (Snailhouse: Sentimental Gentleman).  With spring around the proverbial bend and many great exhibitions in store, we invite you to join us at the gallery to discuss the news above and more!  See you In the Neighbourhood.