February 20, 2013

Stocking Up For Christmas

This Christmas, we had the pleasant arrival of a couple of really ginger little men who stole the spotlight in our storefront to compete in the 2012 Downtown BIA Christmas Window Display Competition.


Literally.  They stole it, along with a bunch of other things from Santa's warehouse.


Christmas is such a cheery time full of vibrant characters.  Take the elves for example, they must the be the most nimble and hardest working little workers around, just imagine how hard it must be to manufacture Nintendo games and iPhones by hand all year round in a chilly old workshop at the North Pole.  Or those jolly snowmen, who put on a smile no matter how cold it is and they hold their ground to bitter end, through the worst of sunburns.  Think of all the hard workers that bring the Christmas spectacle together every year.  Reindeer that can fly and haul millions of presents around the world.  The Abominable Snowman who runs a top notch security perimeter for Santa's village, who to this day has still prevented anyone from penetrating the secret compound.  Even Santa himself, that fat old man runs a scheduled delivery still unsurpassed by the best and most modern in the courier industry today.  But then there's one other group... those sweet little gingerbread men.  The ones that jump from your baking sheet as you pull them from your oven and make a break for the door.  Nobody really seems to know what greater Christmas purpose these guys serve.  In fact, from time to time their devilish acts seem to be against Christmas belief.  Some are beginning to wonder if it was the gingerbread men who put the 'x' in X-mas, creating a new generation of greedy kids who aren't even illegible for coal delivery to pressure their parents to shop for their gifts.  What a crazy concept!  Ya I know it sounds far fetched, but after what we've seen around here this year, I wouldn't be surprised if those gingerbread men weren't behind it all.



Well, in case you were wondering, I have the results for the display competition right here.


This year's 1st place prize was given to Downtown Dental for their retro-festive.ca lamp display.


The second place went to Laurenzo’s School of Hair Design arrangement of Christmas stockings. 


And in 3rd place, slightly saddened by our hard efforts to win peoples' Christmas spirit, our ginger little gallery sparkled with hope.





As for the other contenders, in alphabetical order, these were the remaining displays.

Allegra

Crazy Bill's

Downtown Bike Hounds

 E. Fusaro's

 Leather's

 Nathaniel Hughson Gallery

Sonic Unyon

TriOS College

YMCA Careerworx

Also, HECFI was listed as a contender but we couldn't find any of their Christmas decorations or display windows to photograph.

Although BIA polls are closed we still encourage our viewers to let us know their favourites.  Send us an email and tell us what you think.  If you have ideas for next year send em this way too!

Partially cooked gingerbread men on the loose.


TREE WOLF & OTHER STORIES


Have you ever wondered what it would look like if you were trapped in imaginative storybook world constructed of your wildest childhood dreams?


A brief look at Tara Krebs new collection of paintings will submerse the viewer in a creative fantasy world like stepping inside pages taken from your favourite childhood story.  However, upon looking a little closer you will find yourself in the company of several bizarre hybrid animal characters in a variety of eerie settings.  Witnessing these paintings are like observing another dimension through a keyhole.  You will likely have no idea who or what you are looking at, but will certainly wonder what is going on.


Each piece is never unaccompanied, and the characters always have a striking resemblance to various opposing but recognizable animals.  Furthermore, you will notice reoccurring little girl who restlessly continues to explore and take part in the events unfolding in various pieces.  Inevitably, you will be left alone to put together each piece of a larger narrative.  Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure novel.
Every viewer will find themselves in a different world.


To see more of Tara Kreb's Tree Wolf & Other Stories collection, visit her exhibition page on our website.