Our 2nd Home Movie Hearth Screening!

Well, we thought our first home movie screening was incredible.....but our second screening managed to top the quality and energy of the first. John Price's hand developed 16mm reels of his daughter's birth were mesmerizing. Our audience was in awe of the cinematic potential of the 'home movie'. The Junction also got a glimpse into Loree's family through reels of her parent's wedding and her brother's early childhood years. Most curiously was John porter's contribution of his 1st reel of Super-8 film ever shot! We've been told there are many more from that same canoe trip to look forward to at the next screening on March 27th. See you then.

Photo Treasure Hunt @ The Agora Cafe

To see our latest photo exhibit, a selection of the over 300 photographs taken locally by 17 artists and residents for the ‘A-Z Photo Exploration of the Junction’ currently hanging at our space, visit Agora Mediterranean Market Café at 3015 Dundas St. West. Also on display are two photo mosaics created during our opening in November featuring colours and textures of the Junction.

Cupcakes in the 'hood

Ok Ok.

I know. We've been in the Junction for a few months now..... but there's been so many amazing people, we just haven't had the time to meet everyone yet! These past weeks we made some major advancements in this department. Two weeks ago we handed out 500 invitations with manila tags, and recipe cards with instructions for residents to share a story of their time in the neighborhood and return it to The Gathering Space. This week we made 50 cupcakes that we loaded up onto our red wagon and delivered to our neighbors along Dundas W. It was a sweet way to introduce the project and make friends in the neighborhood.

We simultaneously hung laminated 'Residents in Reflection' photographs in shopkeepers windows. Next time you're out on the street, see if you can spot them all!

'Home Sweet Home' Embroidery Project

It's Winter. It's Cold. It's Snowing. It's Windy.

What better way to spend a chilly day then in The Gathering Space with a cup of tea and an embroidery hoop! Come in and choose from an array of fabrics and threads to craft your own rendition of a 'Home Sweet Home' wall hanging; or stitch an inspirational phrase, memorable song lyric, or quizzical poem of your choosing (images welcome as well). We will be framing each embroidered work and exhibiting them in our 'Home Sweet Home' exhibition in April. All works will be returned to the artist after the exhibit.

Cranky Movie Screening with Humberside Collegiate Students

On January 24th we had a warm and intimate gathering of local artists and Humberside Collegiate students to unveil the Hand Cranked Animations they made in their Drama Classes with Noah. Each artist's work was an original and inventive interpretation of the theme 'Change'. Some even included performative elements. For another opportunity to witness the Cranky Films, check up on our February Listings for our contribution to a fundraiser being held on February 15 for the families who are homeless after a fire near Edith Street.

Photo Treasure Hunt Exhibit Opening & Holiday Soiree!

On December 21 we revealed the outcome of our Photo Treasure Hunt Project, in which 13 artists and local residents were given a disposable camera and an alphabet of community themes. Each participant was asked to interpret each theme in a single photograph. Photographers: Awna Teixeira, Benny Huizenga, John Porter, Lynda, Edith, Gib GoodFellow, Linda, Rio Chicoine, Carmen Victor, Deirdre O'Donnell, Neill Cunningham, Owen Cunningham, Vandra Masemann, Kim Jackson.

We look forward to selecting two photos from each photographer's collection to create a single alphabet, which will be exhibited at the Agora Cafe near the end of January.

Also, during our holiday soiree we baked gingerbread cookies for our guests to decorate with a message about what they're thankful for.

Animals in the Junction framed prints for sale!

We have made extra prints of the 'Animals in the Junction' photos that have been hanging in the Agora Cafe. Framed prints are on sale for $75.00

We have also made blank 4 x 6 gift cards with the animal photos on the front. Each package has five unique cards with envelopes, and sells for $10.00.

Cards and prints can be bought during regular workspace hours!

ENCOUNTERS inspires The Gathering Space

After meeting Ruth Ben-Tovim and Trish O'Shea at the community/performance conference in Rhode Island in 2003 and seeing the work they were doing with their ENCOUNTERS shop projects in Sheffield, England, Loree Lawrence (Lead Artist of The Gathering Space) started fundraising to do a similar project in the Junction neighbourhood. For the last six years ENCOUNTERS has inhabited disused shops in diverse neighborhoods and used them as a base to create artworks around the themes of people, community, identity, and place. The shops attract hundreds of visitors, becoming neighbourhood magnets, drawing in people of all ages and cultures to leave objects, memories, journeys, thoughts and ideas about where they live. In Fall 2006, ENCOUNTERS was featured in the British Pavilion for architecture at the Venice Biennale. Loree visited Ruth and Trish in May 2007 to immerse herself in their world and came back to join with Lise Beaudry, Noah Kenneally, and Amy Kazymerchyk in starting The Gathering Space. To learn more about ENCOUNTERS visit www.sharrowencounters.co.uk.

Home Movie Night in the Junction!

Our first of a series of Home Movie Screenings was a jam packed 2.5 hours of venetian holidays, beaver hunting excursions, and calgary stampede debauchery. The popcorn was flowing, and the audience provided nostalgic and entertaining narration to family and found films. Thanks to Jonathan and Sue from the HOMEMADE MOVIES Home Movie History Project for supporting and promoting such a stunning event. We have also set up our Junction Home Movie Hearth, which offers 8mm, Super-8 and 16mm viewing stations that are accessible in the Gathering Space during all open workshop hours. The Home Movie Hearth is available to anyone wishing to view and repair their own, or found, film. We will be hosting our second public screening on January 31st.

2804 Dundas W. Opening!

Our grand opening was a huge success. Many Junction Residents, Artists, and Community Organizers turned out to support the Gathering Space and contribute their stories and ideas to a range of installations that we've been cooking. Junction Judy was on hand to collect stories of how people came to the junction; people mapped their fond memories of the neighborhood; and many opened their pockets onto the scanner flatbed to create printed images for a photo collage. Our good friend Iel provided us with delicious cornbread, foccacia and hummous, baked earlier that day in the Cool Hand of a Girl kitchen; and we all toasted to the beautiful 'Reflections in the Junction' Photographs that were newly exhibited.