Author Archives: fordhampr

MY ARIZONA ADVENTURE (Pt. IV) – Sedona, the “New Age” centre of America

Monday dawned bright and filled with birdsong, as usual at Camp Joy Ranch – today AJ was taking me to Sedona where I was going to experience “new age” mysticism in the hippy-dippy heart of Arizona. Hurry, hurry, let’s get going – I was like a little kid off to see Santa!

First, we needed to fuel up at the local Starbucks – here their stores are all adobe-clad, and so clean and spacious. AJ then pointed the car north and off we went on the 90 minute journey….after about 40 minutes, the terrain changed and we were climbing in altitude, passing some pretty bad-ass towns and roads (see below)I turned round to catch this amazing view of a far-off snow-capped peak – wow!Then suddenly…we had arrived!

First stop…AJ insisted I attempt to climb up Bell rock which is one of the 8 vortices (thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration. These are places where the earth seems especially alive with energy) – are you kidding me? Oh well, let’s see how this vortex thing works, see what the universe is gonna fling at me. Perhaps a palpable body buzz, maybe a spiritual shift in my soul – who knows. So I stayed open to whatever would happen and we trekked on up the massive rock. I got a little way up then turned around…OMG! The view was spectacular……we passed some of the legendary twisted juniper trees……then I reached the point where I thought my lungs would explode – whew! Can’t…go…on…any…further. So here are a few pics taken during my vortex encounter: AJ pointed out the vortex “power lines” flowing into me in this picture he took (above) but perhaps they may just be rays streaming down from the sun. Personally, I’m stickin’ with his theory. More incredible views…. Time for a cool drink and some lunch so AJ took me to his favourite vegetarian restaurant, Chocola Tree, where we enjoyed healthy organic treats. Lovely peaceful environment and a nice way to “come down” from the vortex thingy.

Now for some serious retail therapy: I promised myself I would buy a really good piece of turquoise so the ever-patient AJ escorted me into and out of numerous touristy souvenir stores until we came upon one particular fine jewellers and there I found several pieces that made their way back to Toronto with me. Who needs rent money when you can buy genuine native American silver and turquoise, right? Haa haa. We then drove a little further into the real town of Sedona (away from the tourist traps) to a mission-style arts & shopping village called Tlaquepaque. What a beautiful place with all sorts of luxury boutiques surrounded by hanging gardens, balconies, flowers and stunning architecture… By now, the sun was getting low so time to head home to Camp Joy Ranch and as we drove out of town I looked up and saw some amazing cloud formations that resembled UFOs following us…yikes!The theme from Close Encounters started playing my head…LOL. Tomorrow, we’re off to Cave Creek, a modern “wild west” town (pretty close to our ranch) that had played host to thousands of bikers from across the country the weekend before. Wonder what we’ll find there….stay tuned.

MY ARIZONA ADVENTURE (Pt. III) – a western ghost town & a cowboy shoot ’em up!

Just like in the movies, the real wild west has plenty of ghost towns and my hosts, AJ and Tom, took me to the Goldfields ghost town north of Phoenix. It used to be a real working gold mine town back in the late 1800’s complete with mines, a saloon, general store, a prairie apothecary and bordello (a genuine whorehouse). We arrived in time to enjoy a train ride around the town, play in the shootin’ gallery and witness a noisy shoot-out with the local Sheriff and bad guys. So much fun and the views of the spectacular Superstitions rocks/mountains were breathtaking. I dropped in to the Siphon Draw Apothecary where lovely pharmacist/medicine woman Colleen (pictured below) created a beautiful refreshing & healing body spray for me using natural aloe and geranium oils. www.siphondraw.com AJ took some great pics of the saloon, the bordello and other buildings (below)… …as I saved seats for the big showdown at the OK (for now) corral!

What a hoot! After this, we decided we needed to try our own hands at shootin’ so we headed to the shack out back and took up laser rifles…Didn’t feel much like the real thing but for 2 bucks, I ain’t complaining. Bang…bang bang. Gotcha, ya vermit! AJ & Tom took a time-out at the big saloon and posed for me in front of the horses and the big mountains in the background.Next, we rode the choo choo train that circled the town, giving us a great view of all the buildings and mining activities.

If you want to visit Goldfield ghost town for yourself and experience the excitement of the wild west, here’s all the info your need: www.goldfieldghosttown.comTomorrow…join me in Sedona (below) the new age capital of Arizona, where I experience a “vortex” and marvel at the rock formations and mesas, and the stunning beauty of the desert during the rare “super bloom”.

My Arizona Adventure (Pt.II) – I visit Old Town & Western Heritage Museum

Saturday April 6th dawned bright and early for me…the sun streamed in my bedroom window (pictured below) by 6:30am and the birds were in full chorus! Today was the day AJ was taking me shopping in Old Town, Scottsdale’s touristy section with all the souvenir shops and boutiques complete with wild west themed exteriors. Our first stop was the weekly farmers’ market – not your usual ramshackle clutch of stalls and tents, but a well laid out, clean and welcoming market with free samples, deelish healthy breakfast treats and tons of local produce. Everywhere you looked, there were flowers and happy smiling shoppers. After indulging in a home-made quiche with honey drizzled over it (wow, so yummy) and downing cups of hot local coffee, we headed off to stroll the Old Town streets. There’s a fabulous art gallery, home decor/accessories and artifacts called Bischoff’s Gallery that AJ wanted to show me so off we went, passing several stunning western sculptures… I found so many wonderful treasures inside Bischoff’s including this painted deerskin plus numerous kachina dolls …and I picked up a couple of modestly priced carved wooden figurines – a coyote in full howl and a bunny rabbit, plus a string of tiny red glass chili peppers that are now hanging on my front door. www.bischoffsgallery.com

More wanderings in and out of souvenir stores, picking up fridge magnets for friends as requested. We came upon a stunning fountain with several galloping horses…It was getting just a wee bit hot so we ducked into the fab Berdena’s cafe where the staff prepared fresh squeezed orange juice for me and a tea for AJ. Friendly & welcoming staff made for a pleasant visit. www.berdenas.com More schlepping around the streets before heading to the incredible Museum of the West where I was to find treasures from cowboy history, native American culture and some samples of the great western artist, Charles Russell. I’ll let the photos do the talking… This next one is AJ’s favourite, as if you couldn’t tell!And these are two of mine…. They’re also heavy into pot…clay pots, that is… Lots of wild west memorabilia was on display…
I was particularly drawn to the Charles Russell exhibition of his paintings and stories about the women in his life… And there were so many amazing bronzes of native Americans…just look at these regal warriors: And of course I found my very own buffalo…Dances with Glenda!The museum has an outdoor courtyard filled with sculptures… …then back inside I discovered a tribute to John Wayne by his artist friend Harry Jackson near the gift shop: The museum also had a “secret garden” of sculptures around back – look what I found there… Big thank you to Jeffrey in the gift store who pointed out some great western books to bring home as well as some cool cowboy fridge magnets (these ones are for me!). Learn more about Scottsdale’s Museum of the West by visiting their website: www.scottsdalemuseumwest.org

More Arizona Adventure stories coming from this lone ranger so stay tuned!

MY ARIZONA ADVENTURE (Pt.I) – welcome to Camp Joy Ranch

It’s been 22 years since I took a vacation – working for one’s self means if you don’t work, you don’t make money so after all that nose-to-the-grindstone living, I finally accepted an invitation from old pal Anthony (AJ) Cavanagh with whom I worked at a local Toronto TV station back in 1999/2000, to visit him and his husband Tom on their ranch in Phoenix, AZ. If there is a heaven here on earth, Camp Joy Ranch must be it…or at least heaven-adjacent!

After coming in for the landing and seeing such a bleak landscape (below)……I was surprised to learn that Arizona had recently experienced an unusual amount of rain and the desert was in “super bloom” i.e. all the wildflowers and cacti were blossoming, bursting with colour and fragrance. After AJ picked me up it was pretty dark and as we drove thru the night about an hour or so out of the city, he explained that they have a law requiring street lights and commercial/retail lighting be turned off or down low in order to see the night sky. OMG…I have never seen such bright stars, the moon, all the constellations! But even more beautiful was the surroundings of Camp Joy Ranch when I woke up the next morning with the sun streaming through my bedroom window…The first thing I noticed, apart from the stunning vistas, was the sound of birds singing. Mourning doves coo’d, desert quails with their funny feathered top-knots warbled and the crows cawed high above as they rode the wind high above. I saw all sorts of birds including red cardinals, honeysuckers and humming birds (try taking a pic of them – impossible…LOL) as well as eagles and hawks, plus the bunnies came out to play every morning (below)After a great Aussie breakfast of toast & Vegemite, AJ saddled up the Prius and we headed out to Scottsdale for some serious shopping and touristy sight-seeing. I was so excited just like a little kid, knowing I was gonna be amazed and enthralled. My next blog post will show you what we saw so stay tuned.

LORI RYERSON’s solo show “OFF THE BEATEN PATH” runs thru April 27 at URBAN GALLERY, TORONTO

Yesterday, Saturday April 13th, Urban Gallery’s artist of the month LORI RYERSON (pictured below) hosted a meet-the-artist event after her big launch reception last week. Those fans who couldn’t make it for the grand opening of her show “Off the Beaten Path” poured into the gallery and another photographic artwork was quickly sold…red dot firmly affixed to one of my personal favourites, “Tears of a Peacock” (below)Most of the photographs featured in Lori’s show illustrate the remoteness and emptiness of spaces in far off lands… My photography is usually the result of serendipity. I look for an alignment of things that convey a story, for the narrative in abandoned urban landscapes. I try to capture what silence looks like. These are the stories I tell through my lens. – Lori Ryerson, 2019

Here’s Lori to tell you about the show in her own words:

Lori enjoyed sharing her inspirations and travel stories with gallery visitors….…and Lori’s sister, Lisa, dropped in to wish her well with the show (below)…as did her fellow artists and friendsOver the years, Lori has amassed a huge portfolio of photographs, many of which have been compiled into books that her fans appreciate and stand in line to purchase at her shows… Off the Beaten Path runs until April 27th at Urban Gallery, 400 Queen St East, Toronto (just 1 blk E of Parliament). Gallery hours and directions: www.urbangallery.ca

If you’d like to learn more about the artist, follow her on social media or visit her website: www.focalocity.ca

ARTIST HANNA KOSTANSKI PAINTS THE PAST & ILLUSTRATES THE BEAUTY OF ABANDONED BUILDINGS

I have the pleasure of introducing you to my new client, artist HANNA KOSTANSKI, whose work I first discovered in 2017 when she presented her solo show at Urban Gallery in Toronto (below) She was born in Szczecin, Poland, and in the 80’s her family emigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, where she grew up and first discovered her love of painting. Hanna attended the Ontario College of Art & Design where she obtained her BFA in 2007. She still resides in Hamilton with her husband and two rescue dogs and a black cat who really runs the house! Hanna’s work can be found in dozens of private and public collections, including a hospital, several law offices and hotels in both Toronto and Hamilton.

Her most recent series of paintings are based on photographs found at the City of Toronto Public Archives. These images span several decades and show a nostalgic view of the city as it once was. They celebrate the past while showing the development of Toronto and the ways in which people helped shape it. In contrast to Hanna’s previous collections which embody the loneliness of an environment in the absence of human touch, this series celebrates the vibrancy of people interacting with the streets and neighbourhoods.

Bay & Adelaide Streets circa 1940s

I’ll let Hanna tell you herself about her passion for vintage views and recreating mid-century street scenes…

For over a decade, my work has been focused on the visible passage of time, experienced through the exploration and documentation of abandoned and decaying buildings in cities like Hamilton, Detroit and more recently, Toronto. I’ve always been fascinated with historical architecture, specifically how we interact with our buildings and structures, and what happens when that interaction ceases to exist. – Hanna Kostanski

It was wonderful visiting Hanna in her home studio, seeing where and how she works… … and discovering new works currently being undertaken (below) We’re currently researching showcase opportunities at this year’s DOORS OPEN TORONTO, a weekend in May where the public can visit historic buildings and venues. Hanna’s brilliant painting of the Yonge & Dundas intersection, circa 1978, would be the perfect illustration of Toronto’s past so I’m busy pounding the pavements and visiting building management offices to secure a spot for this incredibly detailed view of the busiest spot in Toronto!Hanna is also in high demand for commissioned work and she’s currently working on a number of pieces for birthday and retirement gifts so some very special paintings will soon be going to some equally special homes. If you would like to learn more about Hanna and get in touch for your own commissioned slice of the past, visit her website and follow her on social media: http://www.hannakostanski.com Watch my social media (Fcbk, Twtr, IG) over the coming weeks for more video interviews with this talented artist.

A Parisian street scene, given the Kostanski touch!

The heavy industrial side of Hamilton, ON, also gets the Kostanski treatment

MR. HYDDE’S GROOVY GALLERY OPENING FOR “HAPPY TYME” SOLO SHOW

I discovered a great gallery on Spadina Ave (Toronto) last night when I attended the opening soiree for the fabulous Mr. Hydde‘s solo show titled “Happy Tyme”. Coldstream Fine Art represents a number of exciting contemporary Canadian artists and I was thrilled to see Mr Hydde’s new works hanging in this space. His show runs util March 23rd so please scroll down and check the websites linked at bottom of this blog for info & gallery directions.Upon entering the 2nd floor gallery, I was amazed by the brightly coloured large, fanciful paintings, each of which intrigued with Mr. Hydde’s embedded text and imbued with his sense of humour and social commentary. I managed to grab a quick Q&A video with the man himself….

I met up with some friends from the Toronto arts community including (below) Val Peter (L), Tanya Solonyka (C) and Michelle Dinelle (R) who were their to support our talented friend, Mr Hydde.I had my eye on this one, Flowerz (below) and decided to commit. Yes, that’s my red dot alongside. The eyes followed me around the gallery and kept drawing me back so….I just had to have it!I encourage you to visit Coldstream Fine Art and view Mr. Hydde’s work in person…see if any of the other eyes follow YOU around the gallery. Thank you for supporting local artists. Coldstream Fine Art, 80 Spadina Ave, Ste. 208 www.coldstreamfineart.com/

www.mrhydde.com

2019 CANADIAN INT’L AUTO SHOW OPENS TODAY IN TORONTO

Every February, my inner gear-head starts twitching with excitement – it’s time for the annual Canadian International Auto Show! Yesterday’s Media Day offered intro’s to new manufacturers, new designs, new technology and teased us with gorgeous luxury vehicles few can afford…me included.

One of the first exhibits I visited was Ford where I made a beeline for the brand new Mustang Bullitt edition. Oh my, she was a beauty. One of my fave Steve McQueen movies was Bullitt and the stories about the fate of his original hunter green Mustang are legendary. I let my imagination run wild as I snapped away… Ford also had a NASCAR vehicle on display (Joey Logano’s car) plus a life-sized Lego racer (below) Check out the new Jaguar – what a stunner. And Acura unveiled its latest model (below)New model unveilings are always exciting for the automotive journalists and this crowd was super excited to watch Cadillac present its new SUV (below)

Then over to the other side of the hall to see Maserati. My fave colour is blue so of course I had to snap this moment as the boys played with these bright shiny new toys!Now for the BIG trucks – so nice to feel so “petite” when standing alongside these beauties.

There’s also a cool WWI/WWII display courtesy of www.TankMuseum.ca in the hallway of the South Bldg – definitely a must-see for the little soldier in all of us!

I always enjoy a stroll thru the vintage auto displays and this year’s exhibit didn’t disappoint – many were “cherry red” so it made for some great photo opps. Back over to the North Bldg of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and in the basement, you’ll find the exotics – the ultimate prizes for all car lovers. Aston Martins, Lotus and Stingrays oh my! Then I bumped into (literally) Brit car designer Mark Roberts of McLaren who kindly posed for a photo beside his creation, the McLaren Senna. Also located on the lower level of the North bldg is the Barrett Jackson collection of 60’s & 70’s muscle cars and they’re as sexy as all get-out! Don’t miss this display – if you’re like me and grew up in this era, fond memories will come flooding back… So if I’ve whetted your appetite for stunning autos, you have until Sunday Feb 24th to visit the annual exhibition of mega horse-power, style and technology. Tickets, directions and show info can be found at: www.autoshow.ca and if you have family members who prefer their driving to be stationary, there’s a big X-Box gaming area in the South bldg that should satisfy their needs/wants….…as well as other car-themed promotions…..and also a kiddie playland for the little ones. Have fun, drive carefully…

VANESSA CUARTAS’ COLOURFUL HORSE PAINTINGS STAMPEDE INTO URBAN GALLERY, TORONTO

URBAN GALLERY‘s artist for December 2018 offers up a whole herd of colourful, vibrant horses galloping across the gallery walls: VANESSA CUARTAS presents lively abstract equine portraits in her solo show BRIO that runs now until December 29th….a glorious exhibition on which to end the year!

Of Colombian heritage, Vanessa is originally from Miami, and now resides in Toronto. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Central Florida with an emphasis on graphic design, later receiving an Art Direction Diploma from the Miami Ad School. Throughout her school years and any personal time, Vanessa always found time to paint as much as she could, and rode her family’s horses regularly. She became passionate about the Puerto Rican Paso Fino breed and if you look carefully at her paintings, you can see their influence in the conformation (stance) of each subject. We spoke with Vanessa just before the gallery doors were opened and here is what she shared…

A designer by day and artist by night, her passion for painting has grown stronger in recent years. When she first moved to Toronto, she was without an established circle of friends and struggling to find an artistic focus so Vanessa decided to do what she loved most: paint horses. Her unique contemporary style has found an appreciative audience and her circle of friends has grown exponentially, many of whom attended the gallery on Vanessa’s opening day, Saturday Dec. 8th (below). Her bold colorful BRIO series conveys movement and a lot of positive energy that attracts attention, even from the littlest art fans….Joining Vanessa at the opening were her husband, Mario (below R) and brother JP (below (L)And gallery curator, Allen Shugar (below L) and gallery director Calvin Hambrook (below R) joined Vanessa to celebrate her opening.If you love horses, you will LOVE this exhibition…. …and within the first half-hour of her opening reception, Vanessa had already sold one piece, titled “The Journey”(below)

If you missed the opening reception, you can come meet the artist Saturday Dec.15^th (2pm to 4pm) and you can also visit the gallery weekdays and Saturdays throughout the month of December. Log on to www.UrbanGallery.ca for hours and directions – located at 400 Queen St East, Toronto.

TORONTO ARTIST JUDITH McKAY UNVEILS SOLO SHOW “HIRAETH” @ URBAN GALLERY

Running throughout the month of November, Hiraeth is thesolo show featuring stunning and colourful contemporary landscapes and “tree portraits” presented by JUDITH McKAY at Urban Gallery, 400 Queen St East in downtown Toronto.The Toronto artist explores fantasy as a means of finding peace in a frenetic world. Trees are her allegory for the endless pursuits of modern life: rooted, yet branching out to reach the sky.

Largely self-taught, Judith’s style is free-flowing. She uses both thick impasto and fluid colour to achieve movement and boldness. Fearless about colour, she uses a vibrant palette, applying interference and iridescent paints to achieve surrealistic effects. Her style is constantly evolving via frequent participation in workshops and exhibitions, as well as studying the techniques of other artists.

Judith (below L) was joined by her husband Rob Sylvester (below R), and her daughter Shannon (below C) came in all the way from New Jersey to celebrate the big opening reception!The gallery looked bright and welcoming on such a grey Saturday – and soon the guests started pouring in, admiring all the canvases….

ARTIST’s STATEMENT: Hiraeth (here-eye-th) is a Celtic word that means a wistful longing for a place to where you cannot return. A place that perhaps never was. The desire for a sense of peace and belonging are emotions I seek to capture in my work. Such desire can often turn to frustration when the real world doesn’t live up to fantasy, and so I depict trees, firmly rooted yet dancing in the wind, to symbolize resiliency as we continue to seek our true home, despite adversity. For this exhibition, I chose a vibrant palette and the use of high gloss medium and reflective paints to create an ethereal effect, as if awakening from a beautiful dream that quickly evaporates and eludes us. The pieces selected for display are meant to truly express what Hiraeth means to me. ~ Judith McKay

I had the opportunity of chatting briefly with Judith prior to opening the doors of the gallery and she kindly shared with me her process and inspirations, especially for this collection….

If you would like to see Judith’s gorgeous, lush paintings, visit www.urbangallery.ca for gallery hours and directions, and follow Judith on her Instagram account: @judithmckayart

Hiraeth runs now until Nov. 30th at Urban Gallery, 400 Queen St East, Toronto.

Thank you for supporting Canadian artists!