The DECA Board is meeting on Tuesday, February 27 from 7:30-9:30pm at Sarah’s Cafe & Bar, 1423 Danforth in their private back room on the main floor. [Please update your calendar if you had noted that we were meeting at Gerrard Pizza, as per the previous post – my oops!]
Why come to a meeting? Lots of reasons! Perhaps you’d like to get involved. Perhaps you want to hear more about us. Perhaps you’d like to meet some neighbours. Whatever your reason, we look forward to meeting you!
If you want to know more about us but the thought of coming to a meeting fills you with dread, or if you prefer to chat one on one, a few Board members will be at Sarah’s from 7-7:30pm to meet and greet with anyone who wants to come out.
Please drop us a line to let us know you’ll be coming by clicking here. That way, if there is a snowstorm and we need to cancel, we will be able to let you know. In any case, feel free to join us at the last minute – all welcome.
Meet Roxane. She’s the owner of Fresh Paint Studio + Cafe.
“Sometimes people will ask if I can do my art without the words, but to me
it’s like doing half a painting.” – Roxane
Roxane loves to read. Growing up, her head was always in a book. It was with words where Roxane’s journey as an artist began.
Spoken word events,
written anthologies,
poetry published and entered in contests.
Things began to change when Roxane decided to add a sketch to a poem she had written. Somehow it felt like a natural fit to have words and art balancing one another. Words began to make their way into every* piece and it slowly became her thing – “poetic art.”
Waxes and dyes on cotton.
Colourful images with her handwritten poetry.
Batiks on watercolour paper.
Chalk pastel on wood.
Roxane loves experimenting and seeing where it will go. Some may question her style and feel that she is pushing her interpretation by adding words to her pieces, but for Roxane, it’s about the freedom to express yourself, however you choose.
As a child*, she always had a creative inclination to make things with her hands. The idea of making something from nothing is* still fascinating to Roxane, which has served her well as an* entrepreneur.
Roxane began her first art studio in Mount Pleasant and Davisville. It was a second floor space where she was able to show her work and offer workshops. It was a place to get her feet wet as an artist* and to see what it would be like to own a studio in Toronto.
She went to her full time job during the day and then to her studio during evenings and weekends. Roxane did communications work for the non-profit organization Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR). Sharing the work of CPAR brought together her love of story, writing, and helping communities. She may have continued to run her studio on the side, if it hadn’t been for an event that was out of her control.
After being in her studio space for two years, the* landlord raised her rent substantially. It left Roxane with a problem* – she could no longer keep her studio. Although it was very hard for her at the time, she is* now able to look back and see it as a gift.
Pregnant with her first child, Roxane and her husband decided that instead of staying* in their area, they would look around the city for a place to buy. It provided control over her destiny and a new place to begin as an* artist*. When* their real estate agent told them about a Korean church on the Danforth, they weren’t too sure.
Walking in, one had to look beyond the outdated paneling and carpeting. Roxane saw the potential and the ultimate creative project. Carpet was pulled up to reveal original hardwood. Pieces of newspaper from the 1920s were found beneath the wooden strips and two pieces of art were found hidden inside the walls. It was like the space was meant for her.
If you haven’t been into Fresh Paint Studio + Cafe yet, you need to stop in and take a look. The brick walls have been exposed, the original tin ceiling remains, and calligraphy menu boards feature not only cafe items, but also your art materials. Order a canvas or maybe a wood panel.
Relax. Unwind. And Create. Enjoy a tea or coffee as you* paint. Nourish your creative spirit with a baked good. Fresh Paint is a place where you can lose yourself for a little while and simply enjoy the act of creating something with your own two hands.
Fresh Paint Studio was created in the spirit of bringing the community together, people of all ages, to create and to express themselves. Lego. Slime. Paint. It’s a chance to go back to being a kid again when we simply enjoyed the act of making and we were open to possibility. (When did we grow* out of that?)
At Fresh Paint Studio, it’s fun to do art again.
For Roxane, finding the time to create is a necessity. It’s what has her up* at 2 a.m. painting, while her daughter is sleeping and the rest of the world is quiet. She knows the happiness that art has brought to her life and she wants to share that with others.
Visit Fresh Paint Studio + Cafe for more information about upcoming workshops or to book a painting party or corporate event. If you would like to drop-in to do some painting and get away for a bit, check out their studio hours at 1849 Danforth Ave.
*Writer’s note: you might have noticed some asterisk throughout Roxane’s story. Go back through the story and write them out to see a secret message from Pablo Picasso!
Additional posts from The Humans of Danforth East series:
Crafts, sculpting, bingo and hot chocolate! 373 Cedarvale (behind the arena)
MPP Potts’ Skate Day
Please join MPP Potts for a Community Skate at Ted Reeve Arena, on Family Day, February 19th. Free hot chocolate and snacks from 11 AM to 1 PM. Everyone Welcome! ⛸️175 Main Street
Winter Stations – Along the beach
2017 Winter Stations pics
Winter Stations Design Competition transforms lifeguard stations into playful art installations. Winter Stations features works from the winners of the International Design Competition and celebrates Toronto’s winter waterfront landscape.
Do you feel love in the air? Whether or not you are pro- or anti-Valentine’s Day, getting out and enjoying the neighbourhood is a great way to embrace February.
We put a call out on our Facebook page for Valentine’s Day events – see below for what we heard back. But first, be sure to get your skates ready for the Friends of Monarch Park annual community skating party, happening tomorrow (Sunday, February 11) at 3pm.
Here are some Valentine’s Day ideas for everyone, whether you are celebrating or not! Shopping and dining locally boosts our local economy and keeps our neighbourhood vibrant and thriving. Stores we love don’t stay open unless we support them so check out these or other shops and show how much you #LoveDanforthEast!
Fresh Paint Studio + Cafe, 1849 Danforth
Fresh Paint + Fresh Beer Night – an evening of painting with a beer sampling with Muskoka Brewery. February 14th, 6:00-8:00pm. $48/person includes cavas, paint and beer!
Dickie’s Cooking School, 87 B Cedarvale Ave (just off Danforth)
Be My Valentine! (February 14, 2018) 2 hours@$70.00
What are you doing for Valentine’s? How about drinking, eating and cooking in a super chill kitchen? In this two-hour workshop, you will make (and then eat) appetizers, two cocktails and they will provide dessert. The menu is flexible and can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Please outline any sensitivities or restrictions when you register. http://dickiescookingschool.com/index.php/class-schedule/
Melanie’s Bistro, 1870 Danforth Ave
Offering a special Valentines Prix Fixe Menu 3 courses starting from $45 Two seatings: earlier between 5 and 6 and later at 7.30 or 8 pm. Call now for a reservation: 416-422-1870
VII Design + Gifts, 1434 Danforth Ave
Find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift! You will find lots of heart pillows – both square and heart-shaped, as well as LOVE pillows on sale – other great gifts (silk velvet scarves, earrings and necklaces by local artisans, Wendy Tancock t-shirts, handcrafted wood pens and shaving stands) – and they have a selection of local artist Gordana Olujic’s HEART art.
Oaks ‘n Acorns, 1856 Danforth
Bake & Craft workshop – live footprint keepsake cards and yummy cookies to share with those you love! $31
Right Side Boutique, 2097 Danforth (just east of Woodbine)
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at The Right Side Boutique this year! On February 14th, this is special event that you and your sweetheart won’t forget. The event will feature:
*A couples yoga session led by Denise Kam
* Temporary tattoos
*Guided essential oil relaxation therapy with Jill Kovacs
* Valentine’s Day treats (including gluten free vegan brownies)
2017 Winter Stations pics
