Distillery District Weekend Art Market

I didn`t get a chance to get out of town like most for labour day but I still enjoyed the great outdoors.  Especially due to the Distillery District outdoor art market.  The area was filled with artists, vendors and admirers.  I was so inspired and loved the various ideas of using recycled items into art work.
 
I was first drawn to the the metallic horse from across the courtyard.  It was magnificent.  The artist was
Ruta Wilson from Westrock Art Metal.   The truckload of early Canadian steel was brought all he way to Toronto from Owen Sound.  Many of these artifacts were quite possibly originally manufactured here in Toronto in the early to mid 1900s. The heavy iron art in forms of creatures was unique and interesting to say the least. Some of the art looks deadly, but Ruta’s horse statue was my favourite.  If only I had a place to keep such a majestic beast. 

The horse is made from many early industrial machine parts.  Some perceive the figure to be ‘the horse’s final triumph over the machine’. Two or more tractor seats compose the hind quarters and a mysterious metal mane shimmers on top of the horse’s neck.  

Artists and art lovers and lots of great art filled the cobble stone historical streets. Mixed among the crowd of perusing people were professional buyers apparently. It was an exciting event; the high quality artwork combined with the historic venue gave visitors a sense they were experiencing a truly one-of-a-kind, world-class art exhibition in the heart of the old city.

ArtFest had hundreds of exceptional creations from over four dozen artists. You can tell me live in a more eco friendly society.  There was a lot of artists using recycled materials in their art.

 Catie Raymond, Artist, shows here assembly of artifacts that comprised the  Whimsical Garden Art tent.  Catie makes her living in the Muskoka Lakes selling her work to wealthy cottage owners who love buying signs and nicknacks made from old things.

Another Artist  Stephen Hays was impressive with his ability to fit patterns in perfectly. I recognized beekeeping equipment in his art. He created a nuc box which is a mechanism by which a queen bee is introduced into a beehive, very innovative.   
This art movement is part of a trend toward reusing the materials better and more efficiently than they were originally designed to be used. Lean manufacturing is about constantly upcycling machinery, an raw materials and improving the manufacturing processes. 

This hand bag is a little difficult to make out in the photo but you can tell it is not ordinary.  
Mariclaro is a Toronto based sustainable design company that focuses on fashion and accessories such as hand bags. This unique piece is made of car upholstery to jackets made from exploded airbags.  All of these designs are all one of a kind pieces handmade in Toronto from recycled materials.  Something you won`t find in the shopping mall for sale. 

This art movement of using various types of recycled material in imaginative transformations is become more popular.  I found more art work at Cafe Uno on display from anther local artist in the Distillery.  She uses recycled computer components in various types and styles of collage paintings.  These artist are giving a new meaning to the word  green in the art world.