Event Invite: Community Building with Jim Diers
We are very excited to invite you to an evening discussion on neighbourhood revitalization and community building next Tuesday.
We are so lucky to have a real guru on this topic, Jim Diers, agree to come speak to us next week. Jim is the author of Neighbor Power and former Director of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods, where he implemented some very innovative programs and supported thousands of neighbourhood self-help projects.
A while back, DECA’s own Catherine Porter interviewed Jim for her column in the Toronto Star, highlighting Jim’s innovative thinking. You can also get a sneak peak of what Jim is all about by checking out this YouTube video.
Much of what we love about Danforth East – the revitalized East Lynn Park, the Farmer’s Market, the Pop-up shops and more – have been the result of great community engagement. Let’s keep the momentum going! Come out to Monarch Park Collegiate on Tuesday September 17, at 7:30 and be inspired!
Be sure to RSVP here since spots are filling up quickly.
We hope to see you there!
Five Fun Facts about DEAF13 & Schedule of Events
The Fair is only a couple of sleeps away! With another fun-filled family event nearly upon us, the organizers wanted to share a few facts about this annual neighbourhood event. And see below for the full schedule of events and activity for Saturday and Sunday.
Danforth East Arts Fair: Five fun fair facts about DEAF13
1. Milestone: The Fair is turning FIVE YEARS OLD this year! It’s hard to believe it, but the Danforth East Arts Fair is half a decade old already. The Danforth East Art Fair sprang from the drive of neighbours and dedicated volunteers of the larger Danforth East Community Association (DECA), which supports many other great initiatives in the area that help to make the community more vibrant, walkable and fun.
2. Better and better: Since its first year, the Fair has grown to include more artists from all disciplines along with live entertainment, food vendors and arts demonstrations. Our home is East Lynn Park, and our vendors’ tents fit perfectly in it. While we’ll likely never get significantly bigger than our current size, we do strive to make the event *better* every year. That means we offer a variety of exhibitors selling a range of unique, high quality goods and services that includes photography, framing, paintings, clothing, ceramics, glassware, bath and beauty items, crafts and more.
3. Fan favourites and exciting new vendors. Some favourites are back this year, including Horst Herget, who makes portraits while you wait using tintype, a form of photography popular in the late 1800s that yields a noteworthy photo with an “olde-timey” feel. And Henna Planet and Henna by Holly will once again be painting lovely temporary henna designs on visitors! As well, we have new artists such as photographer Teresa Miller, mosaic maker Roberto Centazzo of Stone Folio and Fernand Ciraco of local business Ciraco framing, who will be selling unique storage and shelving cleverly repurposed from frame samples. (Ciraco is also a volunteer extraordinaire, more on that later.)
4. Local and beyond: This year approximately two-thirds of our vendors identify themselves as being located near East Lynn Park. We’re so proud to be encouraging creativity in the community! Our jury hand-picks every exhibitor, and while we do encourage local artists to apply, our final cut this year includes artisans from all over Ontario and even Quebec.
5. Volunteers: The Danforth East Arts Fair is completely run by volunteers. The planning meetings start in winter and the jury meets regularly to choose which artists will be included. Leading up to the event, there are volunteers arranging for everything from the live entertainment to the on-site ATM. A big thanks to head organizer Melanie Ramsay, along with volunteers Melissa Peretti, Julie Glick, Mary Vallis, Shauna Rempel, Fernand Ciraco, Danna Lynn McCullough and many more working behind the scenes to make the event a success.
For more info on the Fair, visit deca-arts.ca/. Or just come on by! DEAF13 goes rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in East Lynn Park.
Farmers’ Market: An Apple a Day!
The apples are starting to come out! Be sure to pick up a basket this week. They’re perfect for lunches!
Did you see the orange cones at East Lynn Park this week? The path is being widened! The new concrete path will be 8 feet! I think we can all agree that with the amount of people, strollers and dogs at events like the farmers market, Danforth East Arts Fair and Pumpkin Walk that a new and wider path will be welcomed by everyone. A big thank you to the City Staff and Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon for getting this much needed improvement done for our park.
Crafts with Mrs. Darling
Mrs. Darling (aka Melissa Peretti) will be back at the market this week with another creative craft at 4:30 p.m. If you’re already worried about where your little one’s creative and imagination outlet during the off season, you should look into her children’s arts and crafts classes being offered at Artisans at Work this fall. Check the Mrs. Darling website for all the details.
Back to School Health Tips from ND Nana
Naturopathic Doctor Nana Jokura of Accept Wellness will be offering free tongue and pulse diagnosis and discussing ideas for back to school health. She will also be offering pay-what-you-can acupuncture (3:00-7:00 pm).
PlayFit with Beth from Career Fit Mom
Beth will run a drop in PlayFit class starting at 4:30 p.m. This is similar to the class she’ll be doing at oaks ‘n acorns starting next Saturday in case you wanted a free preview. Here’s a description of the activity.
PlayFit for Parents & Tots is all about getting Fit and having Fun together by using GAMES & PLAY. Your tot’s will have a blast playing games, and hiding under the parachute – having no idea that all this fun is being generated by the lifts and squats of parents burning calories! This class is designed to be a truly fun exercise program for you and your child, as well as improving your child’s developmental skills while expending some of that excess energy.
Beth will also be handing out FREE athletic gear from a well known retailer so please drop by for free sports bra and/or athletic shorts.
The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. between June 6 – October 17 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the new East Lynn Market Facebook page.
Development Update 2362-2388 Danforth
As you probably know, developers will be constructing an 8 bay coin operated car wash at 2362-2388 Danforth. Since this property is zoned “Mixed Commercial Residential”, a car wash is permitted without rezoning. However, they have applied for a variance to the rear set-back – the distance between the back property line and the building. If the variance is granted, the car wash building will be located at the back of the site and cars will enter and exit from the front of the building rather than driving behind it. If you have any concerns with this, you may attend the Committee of Adjustment on:
Wednesday September 11, 2013
1:00 p.m.
Committee Room 2, 2nd Floor
City Hall, 100 Queen St W
You can also send comments in writing to Jenny Stark, Senior Planner, jcstark@toronto.ca and copy Janet Davis at Councillor_Davis@toronto.ca.
Danforth East Arts Fair: Meet artist Eric Davy
It’s less than a week until the 2013 Danforth East Arts Fair (DEAF13) in East Lynn Park. There will be dozens of artists offering a range of artwork, gifts, crafts and clothing as well as food, live entertainment and other family fun. In this post, we learn a bit more about Eric Davy of Davy Glass. Davy and his collection of hand-blown colourful glassware were a fan favourite last year, winning the People’s Choice award. He speaks with DEAF13 organizer Shauna Rempel about his inspiration, where his art has taken him and what he thinks about beige.
1. What is the best way for people to learn more about your work (besides coming to East Lynn Park this weekend)?
I prefer for people to learn more about my art through my website DavyGlass.ca as it gives the broadest scope of the work I make.
2. Please describe your work in 10 words or less.
Hand-blown classical shapes, featuring modern surface design.
3. How did you begin your creative journey? How did it evolve?
I began working with glass at 16, I dropped out (of high school) and apprenticed under Alfred Engerer, who steered me clear of trouble. Later I went to Sheridan College and now nobody asks about high school.
Since then I have worked with artists and in factories all over Canada.
Three years ago I began my own business and doing shows, gathering gallery representation along the way. I am now the featured glass blower at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Macao, China twice a year for two months and the resident glass blower at the Red Barns and Artists Play Ground for three.
4. What inspires you?
I take much of my inspiration from the feelings that certain times of day, in certain settings can conjure — in a word, nature.
5. How is your work different from that of other artists in your field?
I embrace a certain amount of chaos, my work is loud and aggressive. I feel we live in a beige world and we need more accents.
6. Finally, what are you most looking forward to at the Danforth East Arts Fair?
Winning the viewers’ choice competition a second year in a row.
To learn more about the Danforth East Arts Fair, visit deca-arts.ca/, follow us on Twitter (@Deca_Arts) or find us on Facebook.