Winged Victory for Sparrow Avenue

 

Closing in on 3 weeks since my last post, I'm happy to say I'm back with lots of interesting things to share from my impromptu trip to Toronto to help my sister sell her beautiful work at the One of a Kind Christmas Show held on the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds.

 



 

On the first morning of the show, my brother-in-law drove us through the Princes' Gates

 

 

Ever since I was a child, this monument, part of which constitutes the gates, has held a thrill for me, always associated with the gigantic Canadian National Exhibition, the biggest agricultural fair of its kind in Canada, held on 192 acres on the north side of Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto.

 

image courtesy of cne archives

 

In case you're interested, The Princes' Gates, were designed by the architectural firm of Chapman & Oxley, and opened in 1927 by H.R.H. Edward, Prince of Wales and his brother, Prince George. Since that time, the Princes' Gates have become a symbol of the Canadian National Exhibition. The nine pillars on either side of the centre arch of the gates represent the participating provinces of Confederation (Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949).  The Princes' Gates were designated as historically significant under the Ontario Heritage Act later that same year.

 

The figure at the top of the arch, the "Goddess of Winged Victory," was sculpted by Charles McKechnie and underwent major restoration in 1987.

 

The One of a Kind Christmas Show was held at the Direct Energy Centre, a monstrous building that is the largest facility of its kind in Canada,  1,072,000 square feet, with 8 "halls" the size of airplane hangars.

 

And there was my sister, owner/operator of Sparrow Avenue, with her little 3x3 feet square booth in the Rising Stars section showing her fabulous original drawings, silk screened onto linen and sewn by her into pillows, tea towels, pouches, day bags, totes and passport wallets (to name a few). One of a Kind so believed in her that they featured her work in some of their most prominent advertising. Needless to say I am very proud of her- and the enormous effort she made to present herself so professionally at the show.

 

Each morning we would arrive in advance of the huge crowds to prepare for the day. This misty morning I got this impressive shot of the CN Tower, once the world's tallest structure, peeking out amidst the high rises.

 

Each day I was away, I worked in a small sketchbook, pictures that I will share with you next time.

 

Til then, we must please remember to be kind to ourselves, and kind to each other.