Echoes - the 2011 bridge mural

Check out the Subtext 2011 video

If you missed out on Subtext Multi-Arts Festival 2011, check out this video to get a peek at performers, artists, community groups and members taking part in this celebration of community, arts and green initiatives. This was the second year for the festival in the Kingston-Galloway/Orton Park neighbourhood. The under-the-bridge-festival had something to offer for all who attended.

Accomplishment of the On-bridge Mural "ECHOES" and Subtext Festival

Our final weeks have been very rewarding. After working entirely on silhouetted background images in a dark gray colour, we finally brought in some bright orange-red colour for accents and our stencils. People who pass by us every day have been requesting some colour and, boy, do we have colour now! We have picked a variety of poems from the community and quotes to add to the imagery, so there is an almost endless display of things to see and read as you walk along the bridge now.

This is our first stencil on the bridge!

The length of the bridge was finished just in the nick of time this Friday, and was appreciated by the many who came to the Subtext Multi-Arts festival under the bridge this past weekend. It is so encouraging to be a part of the many arts projects taking place in such a diverse and talented community and know our work will be cherished for many years to come.

Subtext Festival and Mural Launch

Although we are all proud to be completed such a huge task, we will miss our long days working together with the team and volunteers, and getting to know the people who pass by the bridge every day.

Thank you to all the kind words and support, and if you haven’t seen the final product, come on by!

The Second Week on the Bridge

Hello again from ‘The Bridge’ team!

This is our second week working on site and things are going slow but steady. We have finished the background silhouettes for almost half the Bridge (it’s 870 feet long!), and once the background is finished we will be stencilling our words for ‘echoes’. We have 10 themes that will run along the bridge: Welcoming Diversity, Celebrating Culture, Community members and places, Nature and Environment, Fantasy and Dreamland, Family and Home, Playing Games and Toys, Activities,School and Education, and Inspiration/Success.

We have had some very hot days and a few rainy ones we have persevered through, but today we are working inside because of the rain. The nearby community has been very welcoming and interested in our work. Many people honk as they pass by, and those walking by usually give some encouraging words or to ask about what we are doing. Someone even interviewed us for their ‘Toronto City Walks’ blog (www.neighbourhoodwalks.wordpress.com), which we will appear in soon. If you are in the area, come by and say hi, I guarantee we will enjoy the chance for a break to chat!

Subtext Multi-Arts Festival and Mural Launch

Mural Routes Summer Crew: Ready to Go Paint on the Bridge

Our group has been hard at work with this expressive text-based project, Echoes (working title). We began by collaborating with Jumblies Theatre group, who have spent the past few months collecting words and phrases from a variety of local community members. Our group participated in a collective session just like the community had. Jumblies asked us to express our “badland,” “goodland” and “dreamland”; in the process we learnt about others’ fears, dislikes, appreciation, loves, and our dreams for our community.

From this large collection of words, our group has focused on the positive aspects of the local community, echoing these collected words and phrases through creating a unique text expression for each word. The process has been long but the hard work will pay off, we have made hundreds of stencils and are very excited to begin work on-site at the bridge next week!

SAVE THE DATE: SUBTEXT Multi Arts Festival 2011

Walk and Talk

'Tis the season for giving - not painting

Now that the winter has set in, the outdoor painting and programming season is on hiatus. We had a great time in the summer and fall working with the community of KGO. At the closing meeting of the Bridging Team, we agreed that the project had been rewarding for all of us involved and we are proud of the accomplishments of the first year working on and under the bridge.
We thank everyone who participated; as painters, planners, funders, supporters and passers-by. The comments and encouragement of the people who live in the area, were much appreciated. We hope you enjoy the legacy of the art work on and under the bridge and the batik banners on the hydro poles. (Those will have to come down in the new year.)

We really hope to find the funds to continue in 2011. Here is a link to a short prologue video. A final video will be online soon.

http://vimeo.com/17834302

SUBTEXT: Multi-arts Festival

SUBTEXT FESTIVAL took place under the bridge on Sept. 11 & 12. On Saturday the sounds and sights of the graffiti and performance artists made the place rock with energy.

On Sunday there was a different vibe; quieter but with creative energy that was shared by the artists and community members alike.

Mural Dedication

On September 11, Mayor Miller and an enthusiastic crowd gathered to pay tribute to the great team of artists who toiled under the relentless summer sun to cover the long expanse of the bridge with art work. The images reflect the natural environment and the activities of the community that take place on and under the bridge. It is deliberately designed to have a subtle impact from a distance, with more detailed elements to be enjoyed by the people who walk, cycle, skate board or ride their motorized wheel chairs across the bridge.

http://picasaweb.google.com/105060217064551231983/BridgeArtMural?feat=directlink

Getting the word out

The City of Toronto has issued a media release about The Bridging Project, please read it at http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/7017df2f20edbe2885256619004e428e/7a1493e279223755852577890064c8c8?OpenDocument

CHECK IT OUT

This is the culmination of everything everyone behind the blog and on the blog has been working for!
So don't be shy about spreading the word:
September 11th and 12th 2010
11 - 5 PM and 11 - 4 PM Kingston Galloway/Orton Park Bridge

It's time to bridge the gap.

Step by Step

On Tuesday, August 17th the Free Subtext Dance Workshops began! Dance Instructor Kevin Ormsby and his lovely assistant Darsel led the class of youth ages 13-21 from basic stretches to classic ballet stances to contemporary freestyle. It was an enjoyable afternoon and right off the bat we discovered that there were several backgrounds of dance in one room from a cheerleader to a European dance crew member. But the only thing that really counted was their love of dance and openness to whatever crazy thing Kevin would through at them next. Watch out for their group performance at the Subtext Festival!

But while you're here you might as well check out the photos I took ;)!

For more info about the workshops and their amazing instructors check out this website http://kashedance.weebly.com/kashedance-front-row.html

Working Hard or...

No ands or buts! The team on the bridge is definitely working hard. After weeks of laying down the grey concrete background of changing seasons, colour has just been added. The colour after much deliberation is turquoise! Soon enough you will see turquoise animals, bugs, leave, plants and people enjoying leisurely activities.

A big thank you to all the volunteers that have come out every week! Anyways the works not done, so if you have some free time and a free hand join us on the KGO Bridge weekdays 9 - 4.

Graffiti Art Workshops under the KGO Bridge

On Saturday, August 14, Mural Routes is happy to be hosting free one hour graffiti art workshops under the KGO bridge. Led by gifted artist Mediah, the workshops will be held at the following times: 10:30 am - 11:30 am, 11:35 am- 12:35 pm, 12:50 pm - 1:50 pm, 2:05 pm - 3:16 pm. Topics covered will include: an introduction to graffiti art, safety issues and techniques. For more information about Mediah and his work, visit: http://webmail.bellhosting.ca/hwebmail/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iahdigital.com
For more information about the workshops or attending, contact Cindy at 416-698-7322 / http://webmail.bellhosting.ca/hwebmail/services/go.php?url=mailto%3Asubtext%40muralroutes.com

This image was taken from: http://www.iahdigital.com/aerosol2.html

Batik art

One more organization on board for the big day is the Contemporary Batik Guild. Contemporary Batik Guild is a group of young artists who are taught this unique style of art and are then given the opportunity to become leaders and entrepreneurs.

At the Subtext Festival they will have artists making batik art and will also be inviting people to learn the art form on-site. It will be a mini-workshop/exhibition.

http://contemporarybatik.com/

The above image was taken off the contemporary batik blog.
http://contemporarybatik.com/blog/

Laying Down Strokes

The painting of the Kingston Galloway/Orton Park bridge is well underway. With regular volunteers, like myself, giving their time one day a week to paint, the bridge should be done in no time. In the meantime the process is a wonderful thing to be a part of, a fun and somewhat soothing activity.


Volunteering soon? Some things to bare in mind (consider this as a checklist):

• Bring a hat (umbrellas are provided)
• Bring shades
• Wear sunscreen
• Bring snacks and a lunch
  
• Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water
• Dress lightly in clothes you don't mind getting dirty
  

It's pretty much a no-brainer, so don't hesitate come out and be part of the transformation!

These photos are posted courtesy of Linda Cui (a fellow painter and SAC staff).

Getting Green

Evergreen has partnered with the Bridging Project to focus on the natural environment components of the project. Evergreen is a not-for-profit organization that makes cities more livable. By deepening the connection between people and nature, and empowering Canadians to take a hands-on approach to their urban environments, Evergreen is improving the health of our cities—now and for the future.

On June 5th a local group of volunteers, mainly from the East Scarborough Storefront, helped plant 800 native wildflowers and grasses along Highland Creek on the North side of the Lawrence Street bridge. These plants will help protect the area from erosion, attract beneficial pollinators such as butterflies, provide habitat for a variety of species and beautify the local area.

Evergreen has also contributed a list of local, native trees, wildflowers and shrubs to be incorporated in the mural. During the SUBTEXT festival, on September 11^th from 10am to noon, Evergreen will be hosting another native wildflower planting beside the Lawrence Street bridge along Highland Creek. Everyone is welcome to come out and get their hands dirty while planting another 800 wildflowers in the area. Come by and visit Evergreen throughout the entire SUBTEXT festival to learn more about the environment and ways to connect with nature.

For more information please visit our website: evergreen.ca, or contact:
Sarah Da Silva, Stewardship Co-ordinator, sdasilva@evergreen.ca or 416-660-0972