Making Waves silent art auction in support of clean water June 1st

MAKING WAVES silent art auction + exhibition in support of clean water

The event took place in June at Receiving Door No. 1 in Toronto.

Making Waves

MAKING WAVES art auction and exhibition supported Water First initiatives, dedicated to championing clean drinking water in Indigenous communities in Canada. The organization accomplishes this through education, training, and meaningful collaboration. Proceeds from the auction were donated to Water First.

Twelve accomplished Canadian artists

Twelve accomplished Canadian artists created unique works of art on beautifully crafted NORQUAY canoe paddles made sustainably from FCS-certified cherry wood. These paddles are meticulously hand-painted, signed by each artist, and offered in the silent art auction. The featured artists include Shelley Adler, Matt Bahen, Benny Bing, Steve Driscoll, Joe Fleming, Rhys Farrell, Graham Gillmore, Katharine Harvey, Rob Nicholls, Anders Oinonen, Pascal Paquette, and Stanzie Tooth. The paddles are exhibited at Receiving Door No. 1 in the Stockyards district of Toronto.

My design

I based my paddle design on my recent painting series Blueprint which in turn is based on my recent public artwork, Shea’s Victoria. The large hand-painted windows are located at 25 Richmond Street East in downtown Toronto. Shea’s Victoria Theatre once stood on this site – a Beaux-Arts vaudeville playhouse designed in 1908. My paintings take their inspiration from the theatre’s blueprints. I capture fragments of century-old motifs and liquefy them into a riot of curving shapes and colour-saturated lines. These flourishes provide a jumping-off point to reference Toronto’s built history.

Paddle sold to the highest bidder!

A private collector in Toronto bought my paddle. Swipe through the photos to see my paddle hung “in situ” in the art collector’s home.

Origins

Canadian artist Joe Fleming and Greg and Steve Rodriguez, owners of The Bait Shop, initiated the Making Waves art auction. I extend my gratitude to the other artists and the sponsors — NORQUAY, Receiving Door No. 1, Legs Florentine, General Hardware, Ice ASAP, Ace Hill, and Kings Lock — for their outstanding collaboration and support.

Water First

Water First Charitable Registration No: 83852 5269 RR0001 www.waterfirst.ngo