My Future Mandalas

My future mandalas will include Swansea Village, and the Lakeshore from The CNE to New Toronto.

I also plan to do some out-of-Toronto spots, such as, Woodbridge, Kitchener- Waterloo, Muskoka and others in cottage country.
Major cities are also in the works : Montreal, New York, Vancouver, San Francisco and a Maritimes Special which will incorporate Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland.
I have been as busy as a bee preparing for them all and have my pencil and paints ready to get going with all the magic of the season beside me.
My goal is to have these aforementioned mandalas completed by June 2012.

Please stand by.
For further info please contact me at : torontomandalas@gmail.com

Scarborough Mandala Completed : " Sunrise On the Bluffs "

My Scarborough mandala was finally completed on Friday, November 18, 2011 after 3 months of
diligent work.  I have named it " Sunrise on the Bluffs " and hope that it captures the essence of Scarborough from early settlements up until now.  I have devoted a generous section to the Bluffs,
which includes wildlife, Bluffers Beach and the marina.
The Metro Toronto Zoo includes the penguins who like to hang out...Pedro and Buddy.

Guildwood Park and the Inn and the Thompson and McCowan families are well-represented, with other early settlers mentioned.
Many cultures are represented through foods and faces.  A horse and buggy climbing over/up the bluffs represents the difficult task our forefathers had in settling the land.                                                              
First Nations People are represented by a spiritual drum and campfire on the bluffs as well as a wigwam and several birch bark canoes in  Lake Ontario.                                                                                            
So many other aspects of the Scarborough Community have been noted and this mandala provides an overview of the area.

For further information contact:  torontomandalas@gmail.com

Oh, Scarborough, where art thou ?

Scarborough, player # 30, has not disappeared from the roster and is about halfway completed.
Several events have kept it out in left field for a few weeks ; however, it has now moved up to short-stop and will be heading to home base within the next 10 days.
So grab your popcorn and peanuts and cracker jacks and be ready to stand and cheer at the 7th inning stretch by mid-week and it should reach the ninth on a homer by the 18th at the latest. The whole team of 29 are rooting for it.....
see you at the finish plate !

Scarborough ( once called Glasgow ) Mandala is moving along....slowly, but surely.

Having spent a day at the Bluffs,  it was really a wonderful experience on a lazy, crazy, hazy day in August.
I soaked in the whole scene, from Bluffers Park, beach and from atop....all around.

What an amazing stretch of shore we have here in Toronto......a must for everyone to visit !
The colors, the textures, the wildlife, the happiness of the beach buffs, the joy of watching people set up for their picnics, the postcard scenes, the flowers......it went on and on and was dream-like.
The beach is clean and so is the water, with several lifeguards posted on land and in boats along the swimming area carefully standing on guard with their gear and their knowledge ready for rescue at any moment.  Kudos to them all.
The picturesque views from atop are grandiose, and the waters reflect the sailboats and birds flying overhead.
No wind turbines will be built off of this shore.  Can you imagine the fate of so many birds who might fly into them accidentally ???

And further north east, is Scarborough' s Rouge Valley which is a sanctuary to wildlife who roam freely in this untouched area.
Important buildings and homes of early settlers in the 1800' s can be found in Highland ( The Highlands of Toronto ) Creek and Guildwood Village.

This mandala will feature many of these natural and historical sites, as well as The Metro Zoo, Scarborough Civic Centre, Variety Village, Sports' Centres, sports and soooooooooooooooooo  much more !
Scarborough is an overflowing cornucopia of all that great and is right at our fingertips to enjoy and be proud of.  If you haven't been, I strongly suggest that you go to visit many of these sites and you will not be disappointed...you will be in awe.

I have set my goal to complete this mandala by October 8 or sooner.

A Scarborough Mandala # 30.....

....and I'm not bluffing !
A Scarborough Mandala is now on my drawing board and wow !...a lot of ground to cover.
The Bluffs will stand out of course, along with so many other historical and present day landmarks
which make this area so distinct.
Keep in touch as I will post more as the mandala formulates on watercolor paper with pencil, watercolours, acrylics, gouache and pen and ink.

Please scroll down a few posts for a complete list of my mandalas completed thus far.

Read more about my mandalas in The Globe :

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/real-estate/article1734637.ece




turquoise-4@hotmail.com

King Street Mandala ( # 29 ) is complete !!!!!

I completed the King Street mandala yesterday and it is ready for presentation.
There is so much to choose from along the way, but I am satisfied that I have
made a good selection.
With the The Wheat Sheaf surrounded by sheafs of wheat at the centre, this mandala
highlights architecture, history and popular venues from Parliament Street to Roncesvalles and Queen Street West.
It is a royal street, with numerous streets and buildings named after British monarchs and
leaders during and after the settlement of Toronto.
It addresses Stanley Park,  Liberty Village  ( Liberty Street celebrating the closing of the Women's Prison where Lamport Stadium now stands just east of Dufferin on the south side ) ,  the 2011 excavation discovery on Bathurst below the bridge opposite Fort York and cafes, restaurants and music !!!!  And much more !
It is truly a salute to those involved in the creation of The Town of York, eventually
called Toronto.
How many soldiers must have dropped by The Wheat Sheaf  ( the oldest pub in Toronto...1849 )
for a pint after a long day of surveying, or marching or digging roads, or standing guard at
Fort York just down the way on Bathurst !

All this and more has been captured in my mandala time capsule, with portals leading to aboriginal
settlements before the first pioneers arrived from Europe.

Long live King Street and  long may we dream that this street is paved with gold because
we are proud of all the ancestors who walked on it before us and left their mark.

" King and Bath " Centres King Street Mandala...#29

I have finally come to the last 2 final days of completing this mandala ...#29 !

The oldest pub in Toronto is at the center and above it is the clock across the street.

Cranes cast an overview and a streetcar rushes by.

The Theatre District is alive and restaurants abound, with patios and flowers and food.

Sculptures stand out proudly and buildings with articulate architecture are tall and grand.
There is calligraphy and gargoyles and intricate wrought iron along the way.

There is  the Backpackers Hostel at Spadina and King where the Spadina Hotel once housed
Toronto New Wave bands which played upstairs in the Cabana Room in the late 70's.

King Street......what a rich salute to King George lll who was the ruling monarch at the time of the Town of York.
" The King Eddy " Hotel east of Yonge (1903),  was  named after King Edward Vll , and was a pitstop for the Beatles before their performance at the Gardens in the mid-60's. It still serves " Afternoon Tea "...a lovely
tradition.

From Roncesvalles to the west and Queen Street East to the east, King Street is quite a trip !
Just ride the car in either direction and you will experience a cornucopia of events taking place.  From
The Toronto Downtown Jazz  and  the Illuminatto Festivals to the Fashion District to the mansions on the hill at Queen , King Street is really the " King of Toronto Streets " !

Golden stars dot the mandala...a salute to the " Walk of Fame " at King and Royal Alex going west along the sidewalk.
 And soooooooooooooooo much more..... a  feast for your aesthetic sense.

What a treasure chest we have in our town !!!!!

King Street .....East and West....Toronto....Mandala

King Street East and West mandala is still under the paints.

There is so much activity and history there, that it is taking longer
thought than others.

However, I  hope to have it completed by June 17, 2011 and will
be ready to share it with the world.

" King Street : East and West " mandala is on the way......

My " King Street : East and West " mandala is on the way.
 Can you guess what I will have as the centre ?

There is something very special that happened at the King Eddy ( named after King Edward V11 ) in 1964 and I was there !

In 1880, King Street was known as " The Great Thoroughfare of Toronto " as great hotels were
built along its way :  The Queen' s Hotel ( 1873 ) on Front Street ( later the Royal York built on that spot...1903 ) , and of course, The Wheat Sheaf Inn at Bathurst and King ( 1849 ) where soldiers from Fort York stopped by to enjoy a mug or two.

This mandala will take you from the mansions at Roncesvalles in the east to the old home of The Canadian Opera Company in the east.

In a 1923 Visitors' Guide " Toronto : A Public Ownership City " , publicly-owned hydro, TTC, waterworks and a civic abbatoir highlighted as a feature attraction of Toronto.

I hope to complete this mandala in 2 weeks as I continue my journey along King George 111' s namesake.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/real-estate/article1734637.ece

" Ossington Village " mandala # 28 completed + Mandala List Update

" Ossington Village " mandala was officially completed on March 20, 2011.

This area is the stretch that runs from Queen Street West and Ossington to Ossington to Dundas.
It also includes a bit north of Dundas and east and west of Ossington.

It truly resembles a little village, with cozy little spots for sweet meetings for a coffee or a martini or a bite with friends and family.
Looking down the side streets one can imagine the inspiration felt by Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven, who maybe sauntered by while looking all around and sketching his old Toronto homes in the snow.  And not far by hurried a young lady, who lived on Ossington Crescent, trying not to be late for her day shift at the York Knitting Mills at Queen and Shaw, c1930's, now The Candy Factory Lofts.  How many times a year she must have walked up and down Ossington or cut through Bellwoods Park with its deep hills ( now filled in) to Queen street West ?  Was the White Squirrel family  to be seen scampering by way back then ?

My mandala maps it all out in a fun organic way with characters and other icons representing  that location.
The facades of most buildings remain and this is a wonderful thing. Entrepreneurs are preserving them and we are able to walk into places where our ancestors perhaps once did.  Several garages eventually dotted the area and some are now being converted into unique stores........a must see !   Young designers show their wares and they are a privilege to behold.  There is no end to creativity.
Here, in Ossington Village, one is able to relish in sitting on a stool or booth in " The Lakeview Lunch " , for example, and imagine the day back in 1932 when it first opened.  Many banana splits and sundaes were topped with pure whipped cream and cherries.  Many milkshakes were made with the green machines sitting in the front window today.  Terrific names of new places call everyone to " Come and see, come and see what we've done to make you happy in Ossington Village.  We will keep your dreams safe here ". 
Thanks to the owners  up and down the street for keeping Toronto' s heritage alive and well for the future generation.Tradition rules.
Thank you to those who have lived there for the last 100 years for not destroying it.
I salute you !
 


http://www.theglobeandmail.co

Here is an updated list of my " Toronto Neighbourhood Mandalas " :

  My, and many others'  ( whom I have encountered through showing my work ) love of Toronto has kept me going and after 4 years I have completed 28, as of March 20, 2011 !  Each one has " key " and I am now working on  King Street- East and West.  Can you guess what will be in the centre ?

So here is my Toronto Neighbourhood Mandalas' roll call , in order of creation since October 2007 :

1.   Kensington Market......................................Spadina to Augusta/Dundas to College/+side streets

2.   Queen West................................................Dufferin Street to University Avenue


3.   Church/Wellesley Village..............................Church Street from Dundas to Wellesley

4.   College Street.............................................Lansdowne to Yonge Street


5.   The Beach ( es ).........................................Woodbine to TTC loop


6.   Parkdale/Sunnyside....................................Dufferin to Roncesvalles, south on the Lakeshore

7.   Downtown Toronto....................................Bird's eye view: City Halls, Islands, Harbourfront,Osgoode

8.   St. Clair/Wychwood...................................Keele to Bathurst/Wychwood/Vaughan Roads


9.   The Annex..................................................Bathurst to Spadina


10.  St. Lawrence Market/TheMarket Block......King to Front/Church to Jarvis

11.  Yorkville.....................................................Yorkville/Cumberland/Bloor @Bay


12.  Roncy/High Park/Bloor West Village

13.  Cabbagetown..............................................Wellesley to College


14.  The Junction.................................................Keele and Dundas to Runnymede


15. Weston........................................................The Town of Weston...Lawrence area


16. Leslieville......................................................Queen Street East...Carlaw toWoodbine Avenue


17. Riverdale......................................................Danforth/The Don Valley/Queen Street East/Pape


18. Bloordale/Bloorcourt....................................Lansdowne to Christie


19. Dundas Street West..................................... Roncesvalles to Yonge Street

20. Etobicoke.....................................................Mimico/New Toronto/Lakeshore West/Bloor


21. Forest Hill.....................................................Eglinton/Cedarville Park/St. Clair/Avenue Road/CasaLoma


22. The Toronto Islands/Harbourfront.................Ward. Centre, Hanlan' s Point


23. Leaside.........................................................Eglinton/Bayview

24. Summerhill/Rosedale.....................................Yonge and east to Bayview


25. St. Clair/Deer Park/Moore Park/Davisville/Yonge and Eg

26. Downsview, aka " The Downsview Flying Club "...................Keele/

27. Olde, Olde, Toronto New....palimpsest.........Lake Ontario to Queen East/Yonge to The Don 


28. Ossington Village..........................................Queen West up Ossington to Dundas

29. King Street West

30. Scarborough

31. The Canadian National Exhibition

Each mandala includes bits of architecture, businesses, familiar places - now and of bygone days, including historical notes which may ring a bell to anyone who has lived or lives or visits that particular neighbourhood.

I have thoroughly enjoyed creating every single one of them, due to my love of Toronto, Canada, my birthplace.  People always ask me what is my favourite and I must say that they all are.  They are all part of the huge Toronto mandala with our hearts beating in the centre.  Namaste.

In my blog I will continue to briefly outline my inspiration and evolution in travelling  through these "Mandala Journeys ".  Try to find a few of my trademarks in each one of them. : )

" Olde. Olde, Toronto New " ..... Mandala # 27 completed ! (again)

It' s been too long since I last posted.  I completed " Olde, Olde Toronto New "...Palimpsest  , officially,  on January 27, 2011.  I kept going back as I added as many details from our history as I thought to be most important.
It tells the story of Toronto, in a small circle, from the Ice Age up until now.  There are
bits and pieces included which trace all those years.  The area noted in particular is that of The Town of York.

Treasures tucked in places everywhere, as I sought  information about Toronto' s beginnings.  Remember I was looking for treasures way back in my blog ?

We are so young.  The  married couple standing on the old Esplanade wharf represent new life as they look out toward Lake Ontario and dream of their future in this town. A young man c1919 also looks out at the lake and watches the ships come in from far away places.  He remembers all the picnics that his family had on the Toronto Islands as the ferry boat puts him under its spell.
The very first taxi drives by and the entrepreneur driving it conveys his hope and energy as he goes forward.  His dream has come true !  Once a slave in the United States,  he escaped jail and travelled to Toronto on the Underground Railroad.  Thornton Blackburn was able to live his dream in 1837 and own his own yellow and red 4-seater horse-drawn " City Taxi " . What an inspiration for us all !
This is only one story on my mandala.

Olde, Olde Toronto New

Finally, I am putting the finishing touches on mandala # 27.  I took a hiatus break for the last 2 weeks and
just got back to work on this piece yesterday.
So many interesting details have emerged about Toronto's past, that I have had to make decisions on what and
what not to include in it.  I hope it generally rounds off a good cross-section of society which evolved from
the Ice Age 12,000 years ago until now in the area of Queen to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, Parliament to
the east and University to the west.
So many of the buildings remain in Olde Toronto today and to see them would be well worth a trip from anywhere.
They represent how our city, so very young, was formed.
My mandala shows the early inhabitants of this area which lasted for 9000 years.  What an incredible story
about how they survived on the land !

I will always remember this poem as I had to memorize as a child in school ( Yes, memorize ! We always had to
memorize poetry and recite it in class.....it was a fantastic assignment, as it taught us to concentrate and
learn new vocabulary and so many other skills which I won't mention right now. )

So here it is ( maybe you know it ) :

Indian Children

Where we walk to school each day
Indian children used to play
All about our native land,
Where the shops and houses stand.

And the trees were very tall,
And there were no streets at all,
Not a church and not a steeple
Only woods and Indian people.

Only wigwams on the ground,
And at night bears prowling round
What a different place to-day
Where we live and work and play!

Annette Wynne

Every time I said it, I would imagine how it was as described in the poem.
My dad always took me to the ROM to see the displays of native culture and I'm sure that
it inculcated in me a feeling of actually being there. And now in my mandala I am bringing
alive visually a little wee bit of the past.  My journey through Toronto has many, many more
nooks and crannies to " goldingmandaleyes " and my next will be King Street.

My journey begins at Roncesvalles-by-the-lake, a little portion which is already on my
Parkdale and Roncesvalles/High Park/Bloor West Village mandalas.