Keele and Finch

Art-practice Spaces

2016-06-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

Creative space is important for creating art and sharing stories for healing. It is my passion and dream to one day open up spaces for people who have survived traumas and require space, time and compassion to heal. Below are a few of the spaces I have created/taken part in. I hope to, one day, have an art space (studio/gallery) where the community can visit and create art, sip on tea, read a book, and feel safe from judgment. Art is healing when words are not available. Hugs. ~ Gloria

The Centre for Women and TransPeople ... York University 2012

(Facilitated art-making workshops)

Home art space with friends ... 2014

(My door is always open to do art, to help others heal)

York University's FES CrossRoads Gallery ... Open House 2016
(Facilitated event open to staff, students and community members)

401 Richmond Street ... studio 2016

(My safe place ... I remember the journey ... healing)

Black Lives Matter TENT CITY ... 2016
(Assisted in transforming public space ... 40 College St ... into art space - activism)

occupy INAC ... 2016

(Participated in transforming 25 St. Clair E. into public art space - activism)

Black Lives Matter - Toronto

2016-05-29T10:49:00.002-07:00

Photo credit: http://www.jalanimorgan.com/index

In solardarity with #occupyINACToronto

2016-05-29T10:40:00.001-07:00

#Attawapiskat youth suicides must stop.

Artist-in-Residence 2016

2016-05-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

My upcoming #Art exhibition features images and installations that symbolize institutionalization, forced medication, domestic abuse, sexual abuse and the stigmas that come with depression.

The amazing and talented Marcus Ware will be curating my “Mad Room” exhibition at 401 Richmond with Tangled Art & Disability. The exhibition will run from September to December, 2016.

#Political #BlackWomanArtist #BoldColoursShapes

AGO July – September, 2016

2016-05-29T10:27:00.001-07:00

Each of you embodied an ancestor in the not so distant past of Toronto’s Black history. ~ Jashoba Jordan

This image, along with others, will be on display at the AGO July – September, in response to the paintings by Group of Seven painter, Lawren Harris, during the Idea of the North exhibition. Here is more information: http://www.ago.net/the-idea-of-north-the-paintings-of-lawre….
Jashoba Jordan website: aniquejjordan.com

Hugs from me to you ... keep smiling.

2016-02-19T20:21:00.001-08:00

I'm working on some new pieces for an upcoming three-month exhibition commencing in September, 2016. #Excited ... Will keep you posted.

Take care of your loved ones and yourself. ~ Gloria

Age Ain't Nothing But A Number

2016-01-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What have I been up to? Well, let's just say that I have not permitted age (almost 60) to stop me from doing what I love.

Since my last post, I have successfully completed phase I of my master's degree and am currently working on phase II. As well, I have been given a clean bill of health from the specialist and look forward to conquering more health demons. To top that off, I am now divorced and I did it on my own with a lot of patience and online research. And as you can see below, I have just received the 2016 Artist in Residence and my first one-woman show is scheduled for April, 2016 (I shall keep you posted).

Yes, I've been very busy and I continue advocating on behalf of the homeless and the mental ill because their voices are not heard and they are not seen ... "Invisible". I am determined to remove the stigma about mental health so that people can get the help they need without shame or fear.

Before I let you go, I would also like to add that upon graduating with an art certificate from university, prior to commencing my masters, I was awarded the York University Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award and received a scholarship to continue my education in 2015-2016.

The bottom line here is to not give up on your dreams and do what makes you happy. For me, that is my art and I am honoured to have been chosen to showcase my work. ~ Gloria

2016 Sharon Wolfe Artist in Residence

International Day for Persons with Disabilities

2015-11-06T12:04:00.000-08:00

Please join us at the future home of TAG to mark the

International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)

We will be celebrating the end of the incredible, much talked about exhibit

by Anne Zbitnew,

Visualizing Absence: Memorializing the histories of the former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital.

We will also be announcing our new Sharon Wolfe Artist in Residence.

This event will correspond with 401’s 5th Annual FROLIC and Holiday Artisans Marketplace.

WHEN:

December 3rd 2015

7:00-9:00 PM, with remarks at 7:30PM

Free & all are welcome

WHERE:

Tangled Art + Disability at the future home of Tangled Art Gallery

401 Richmond St. West

Studio 122 (main floor)

Toronto, Ontario

M5V 3A8

www.tangledarts.org

info@tangledarts.org

647.725.5064

DIRECTIONS: The future home of the Tangled Art Gallery is located at 401 Richmond St. West, studio 122 on the main floor. The closest accessible subway station is at Union Station. The gallery is also accessible by the Spadina streetcar (Queen Street stop going south from Spadina Station, Richmond Street stop going north from Union Station), which is intermittently accessible.

ACCESSIBILITY: This event is in a barrier-free location. There is an accessible washroom on the 4th floor of 401 Richmond. We will have ASL interpretation and supportive listening. We request that you help us to make this a scent-free environment. The exhibit follows Smithsonian Museum guidelines for accessibility and inclusivity. Audio description of the artwork is available. Most of the artwork can be touched. The labels are in a large font and in plain language. The labels include a line drawing of the artwork. For any other accessibility arrangements or questions about accessibility, please contact Anne Zbitnew at visualizingabsence@gmail.com. This is a child-friendly event and a sober space.

CONTACT
Eliza Chandler
Artistic Director
Tangled Art + Disability
eliza@tangledarts.org

Anne Zbitnew

visualizingabsence@gmail.com
Website: http://visualizingabsence.wix.com/visualizing-absence

For more information about Tangled Arts, please visit:

www.tangledarts.org
info@tangledarts.org
647.725.5064

Art & Comedy Show - Fundraiser

2015-07-18T18:15:00.006-07:00

On July 15th, I was fortunate to have some amazing people (and new friends) come out to ‪Support‬ me and I thank you all with all my heart. Amanda Killeen, Aisha Brown, Camille Côté, Jen Sakato, Nour Hadidi, Eric Magnifico, Ronen Geisler, Simi Grewal, Andy Fruman, Glenda MacDonald & Wayne, and Mariam Jubril and James. A special thank you to management and staff at Fox and Fiddle - Bloor.

And everyone else who came out to support; buy art; and hear some awesome comedy.

Thank you.

Unhealthy Indoor Air Quality ... MUST MOVE ... HELP!

2015-07-04T06:52:00.003-07:00

The air quality in my current apartment is terrible! I clean all the time but can't get rid of the excessive blue coloured dust and sand-like particles that are coming through the cracks in the windows. This has affected my health. The building is old and the landlord does nothing to control or eliminate the problem. I really MUST move for health reasons.

I just started a three-month treatment and recently secured a new apartment for August 1st and need help with moving expenses. The new place is not near any road construction to affect the air quality and has a clean-air system in place.

Click here to donate ... thank you.

In return for your generosity, I will supply you with a personal signed 5" x 7" of one of my favourite art pieces. If you're not able to donate, can you please share.

Thank you. ~ Gloria

In Response ... Facebook Posts

2015-06-28T13:10:00.003-07:00

My ‪#‎Response‬ to some unbelievable 'stupid' posts this morning: AIDS is NOT a white gay man's disease; it is not something you can get from the rainbow app; and it is definitely NOT a joke! The world has lost too many men, women and children to this horrible disease. Jokes about AIDS is an insult and shows disrespect to people living with & who have died from it. And it's pure ignorance to think it's funny to associate AIDS with being gay or with the Rainbow app. - Gloria

Remembering Toronto's Homeless

2015-06-28T13:09:00.002-07:00

#Homelessness #MentalHealth #Memorial

Rest in Peace

2015-06-28T13:06:00.002-07:00

Let's not forget about the nine lives lost to the church shooting tragedy: ‎

Rev Clementa Pinckney‬

‎Daniel Simmons‬

Rev Sharonda Coleman-Singleton‬

Cynthia Hurd‬

‎Susie Jackson‬ and her nephew, ‪Tywanza Sanders‬

Myra Thompson‬

Ethel Lance‬

DePayne Middleton Doctor‬
... and all lives lost because of ‎Racism‬ ...‪

#‎LetsNotForgetTheirNames‬

Must Love To Laugh ... Self-Care

2015-06-28T13:01:00.005-07:00

Tonight: Yuk Yuk's w/Kenny Robinson

July 1 to July 11 @Theatre Passe Muraille for A" Nurse's Worst Nightmare" w/Zabrina Chevannes

Thursday July 2nd to Sunday July 12th. Factory Theatre Studio, 125 Bathurst Street at Adelaide. Mixed Chick w/Coko Galore

July 11 for WEST END GIRLS at Comedy Bar w/Daniela Saioni

July 12 It's her birthday edition ... Zabrina presents:Things Black Girls Say

July 13th w/Martha E. Chaves taping at Comedy Bar

*All shows include some amazing comics ... check em out*

Art Therapy

2015-06-28T12:59:00.003-07:00

Click here to see more of my art. Please enjoy. ~ Gloria

Stigma of Mental Illness

2015-06-16T11:44:00.001-07:00

https://www.createspace.com/3964561

Opening Soon ...

2015-06-02T08:40:00.005-07:00

Opening Soon:

NEW Quizno's (Broadoaks & Keele), located beneath Walmart.

Dr. Mai Heath

2015-06-02T08:37:00.004-07:00

Dr. Mai Heath is a Doctor of naturopathic medicine, and a Doula who is currently serving clients in the Toronto, Ontario area. She is a wellness and birth advocate, who uses her charming personality and sharp wit to “bridge art and science” for her clients.

http://dearestdoula.com/2015/06/01/dr-mai/

Please ... HELP Find a Liver Donor ...

2015-05-28T16:32:00.002-07:00

Delfina Budziak was diagnosed with biliary atresia two months into her short life.

Biliary atresia is a rare disease that begins in early infancy, according to the Canadian Liver Foundation. The bile duct that leads from the liver to the intestine becomes damaged, preventing bile from leaving the liver. This can lead to a build-up of bile in the liver. The cause of the disease is not known.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/i-feel-like-i-can-t-save-my-own-daughter-ont-infant-needs-liver-donation-1.2394888

Here’s to fifty-nine, biatches!!

2015-05-24T07:16:00.003-07:00

“You must not lose faith in humanity.” ~ Mahatma Ghandi

On May 23^rd, I decided to reflect on fifty-nine years of self. I tried to make sense of the last two decades of struggling to understand humanity. And the last few months of, personally, fighting racism; sexism; ageism; and any other ism that comes with disrespect. Family and friends was at the top of my list.

Nobody has the right to make you feel like you don’t belong or that you’re unworthy of respect. You must never allow anyone to make you feel guilty for living and loving the journey you’re on. ~ Gloria

We all have our own road to travel … and it’s necessary to have people who care and support you during good times, as well as difficult times.

Feeling quite down and broken, on a day I should have felt joy & celebration; I hopped on the train (alone) with no destination and soon found myself sitting on a bench in a park (Church St. and Queen St. E) where I spent the day … with a group of homeless people. I watched how they protected one another; how they helped one another; and how they shared the small amounts of food they were able to purchase with the change they had collected from strangers walking by.

I smiled at how they danced, with huge smiles on their dirty faces, and how their eyes lit up with joy as they held that precious piece of food in their unclean hands.

I watched as they cheered and giggled when one of them successfully moved the black and white chess pieces across the board. There were equal cheers for both players. I’m not even sure who won the game because each player was shown love … there was no winner or loser. It was just a game. A moment for them to come together and uplift one another. A community. A family.

And I found myself feeling happy. By the end of my little visit, I was having conversations with some of them and I felt accepted. I was not being judged. I felt so much kindness from a group of homeless people who had no idea where their next meal would come from or when it would come. I’m not saying they were happy because they were homeless but I think they were happy because they were with people they trusted and people who supported them.

“The first to help are those who know how it feels to fall down.” ~ Unknown

They sang songs, danced, played games, and laughed at each other’s jokes … and I found myself wondering how they celebrated their birthdays. I wondered if they even acknowledged their birthdays. And then I realized that each and every day of survival, for them, was a celebration.

Saying good-bye and wishing my new amazing friends (and that’s how they made me feel; like I was surrounded by friends) a good day, I continued my journey along Church St and stopped by a huge church on the corner of King St. E … I took a seat on the bench beneath a huge tree. I watched and listened to people (with homes and food and clean hands) … I did not hear the laughter or see the joy that I had just witnessed in the park. They were missing the ‘thankfulness’ … I felt alone and misplaced … I moved on and walked until the water in my eyes dried and my heart was less heavy with sadness.

Dammit, this was my birthday and I was not going to allow ‘selfish disrespectful people’ to make me feel unworthy of this beautiful journey. I’ve spent so much of my time trying to help others that I had forgotten to help myself.

Thank you Aisha Brown for being the beautiful breath of fresh air you are.

And if you're trying to read my t-shirt, it says,
"I'm not a lesbian, that's a nasty rumour spread by all the girls I've slept with."

I want to also thank Marito Lopez for sharing “Baby D*ck” … it’s an awesome tune. And thank you Arthur Simone for that big azz birthday hug (you make me feel sexy – lol). And thank you Dadrien Brown for being a good friend and helping to make my day special.

And most of all, thank you Sandy Hubertus Fuller and Grace Ro (the one person who’s always there to remind me that I matter) for helping me to realize that family isn’t always blood and that you don’t need a lot of people in your life to be happy … you only need people who truly care about you and who make you feel like you belong on this earth.

The comedy show was off the hook and the karaoke was … well … the karaoke was AwEsOmE! Again, thank you Aisha for inviting me to share 'your' big day … and making me feel so d*mn important, in a society where so many times it feels like humanity has lost almost all compassion and respect for one another.

“One of the simplest ways to stay happy … is letting go of things (and people) who make you sad.” ~ Unknown

I had an awesome day … here’s to fifty-nine (59) biatches!!!!! ~ Gloria

No Destination

2015-05-22T05:20:00.005-07:00

No destination ... just keep moving. ~ Gloria

Bus Shelter

2015-05-22T04:37:00.004-07:00

Work in progress ... Keele and Broadoaks ... TTC ... Bus Shelter.

Living Liver Donor Needed ... Winnipeg

2015-05-22T04:33:00.003-07:00

By Jim Bender, Winnipeg Sun

Courageous 11 year old, Allexis Siebrecht, needs a liver transplant.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/04/01/living-liver-donor-needed

Art

2015-05-14T06:10:00.005-07:00

My love ... art.

http://glcarissa.tumblr.com/

Read-A-Book

2015-05-14T06:09:00.001-07:00

My Summer Reading ...