Look out! The links open up in their own separate windows!
Allyson Mitchell -According to her bio, "Allyson Mitchell is a maximalist artist, writer, performer, filmmaker and teacher." Hmmm...that doesn't say much about how spunky or fiesty she is, or about how she makes giant fun fur lady sasquatches, or how she covers entire rooms with crocheted blankets that make your eyes freak.
Andrew Zealley -Andrew Zealley's work in audio encompasses film and television scoring, cross-media collaborations with musicians and non-musicians, and audio installations for gallery environments. In addition to publishing under his own name, Zealley also releases work under the name PSBeuys. He has published work as Greek Buck. He lives in Toronto. Zealley’s audio work is distributed by Art Metropole.
Art Face Off -"The Greatest Art Competition In The History Of Mankind." Ok, what more can you really say? The site that "playfully" pits artists against each other in direct competition. Yay!
Art Metropole - Art Metropole, or "Art Met" for those in the know, was founded in 1974 by the artists' group General Idea. They specialize in contemporary art in multiple format: artists books, multiples, video, audio, electronic media, and so on. They offer artists' products for sale on premises and through this web site. They also publish, promote, exhibit and distribute artists' products in various formats. Shopping doesn't always have to make you feel guilty.
Artists In Canada -A national directory of Canadian artists, art galleries, associations and art resources.
Barbie's Basement Jewellery -Toronto designers Robin Woodward and Ange Beever have created an exciting line of pop accessories for modern life and those who live it with humour and flair. Barbie’s Basement Jewellery celebrates individual identity and popular culture in a handmade, accessible, wearable form. Their stuff is so pretty it will make you freak out!
Brendan Fernandes -As an Indian born in Kenya, and raised in Canada, Brendan is interested in the similarities and differences that distinguish people's cultural heritage. He is interested in how current practices in tourism contribute to the exploitation of societies and their cultures, making them into a form of entertainment that is reinforced by the sensationalised experience of vacationing.
Carson
Ellis
-Carson
seems to do all the illustrations art art for The Decemberists. She is a wizz
at watercolour, pen and ink, painting, and pencil drawing. Her drawing style
is gorgeous and inviting. That's not even mentioning how great her colour palette
is! Seeing Carson's work makes me want to draw and take long fall walks.
Dallas
Ning
-Dallas is a recent graduate of NSCAD in Halifax. He has a huge amount of photography
and other goodies all packed into to one very suave website. His work is very
clever and deals with ideas of identity, sexuality, masculinity and pop culture
to name a few. Just go look at the work.
Daniel Barrow -Daniel Barrow is a Winnipeg-based media artist, working in performance, video and installation. Barrow uses used an overhead projector to relay ideas and short narratives. He creates and adapts comic book narratives to a "manual" form of animation by projecting, layering and manipulating drawings on mylar transparencies. He variously refers to this practice as "graphic performance, live illustration, or manual animation."
Dave Dyment -I was all dressed in black, Dave was all dressed in black. And then there was a whole bunch of audio art, some performance stuff, a few multiples, and also some photographs for good measure.
David Drascic -David Drascic studies Human Factors, which is the study of people in the work place (every work place), with the goal of redesigning tasks and equipment to better suit the range of individuals performing them. The field is very broad and includes many aspects of design engineering, perceptual psychology, anthropometrics, cognitive psychology, kinesiology, social psychology, and medicine. Not to mention the fact that he is incredibly smart, has helped me with with this website, and is my lover.
David Grenier -Grenier's work questions the genderedness and sexuality of spaces, places, things and gestures in order to call attention to the slippage or play that is present within their very production. He is waging a renovation, a process of reordering space and of taking or claiming space. Basically he's a Big, sweet gaylord who makes gorgeous work!
Deadpan Designs -Crafty creations from Catherine. Custom knit wristbands, boobie change purses, broken heart bracelets and handbags, all of which are veeeery snazzy. Catherine co-organizes meetings of to Toronto chapter of the Church of Craft. The knuckle navigation buttons on this site are worth the trip alone. Craft on!
Dead Robot -There once was a blog by a man named Ted...and here it is! Don't let the leather outfits scare you, Ted's a big softie. Well, in a 'gruff' kind of way...ahh,or something. Ted seems to pretty much always amuse. Plus he's a twirler. And please don't get him started on his iPod, he'll talk your ear off about it. Literally. Dive into the den of geekery and find out more about this swell fellow.
Derek-Amphibian Design -Derek has been wasting his time sitting in front of computers for 5 some-odd years now. His love/hate relationship with computer design slides heavy to the love when he can make people happy by making pretty and functional things for them - so this has ended up being one of the things he does when he's not being a cog in the machinery of the hit-record industry. Derek lives in Winnipeg and works hard to make the world a better place to live in.
Diane Borsato -Diane Borsato is a visual artist working in performance, intervention, video, installation, and photography. She has exhibited nationally and internationally with solo exhibitions and performances at galleries and museums including La Centrale, Skol, and Occurrence (Montreal), Gallery TPW and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) (Toronto), eyelevel (Halifax), TRUCK (Calgary), Saw Gallery (Ottawa), Artspeak (Vancouver), and a residency at Villa Arson, National Centre for Contemporary Art in Nice, France. Plus she puts things in her mouth.
Douglas Coupland -Douglas Coupland is easily my favourite writer. Well, not like I've read every writer's work or anything, but for what it's worth pick up any of his books and get going. It's really amazing to see how much he produces and produces consistently well. Oh, Doug you darling!
Duke & Bettersby -Cooper Battersby and Emily Vey Duke have been working collaboratively since 1994. They work in printed matter, installation, curation and sound, but their primary practice is the production of single-channel video. Their work has been exhibited in galleries and at festivals in North and South America and throughout Europe.
Finger In The Dyke Productions - Artists Dempsey and Millan have collaborated on performances, films, videos, publications and public art projects since 1989. Their provocative, humourous, feminist performance art pieces have toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Japan, and their art video and film works have been screened in venues ranging from women’s centres in Sri Lanka to the Museum of Modern Art, NYC. So amazing! You love them without even knowing about it.
Fiona Smyth -Super cool all-around artist/draw-er kind of person whose work can be seen just about everywhere. Seriously, her work has been published by like a million different people, and she's been in like a bajillion art shows. Fiona is magical.
Front Door Organics-Offers a healthy, fresh and convenient alternative to synthetic pesticides, genetically modified food and crowded supermarkets. To get your foot in the door and start organic home delivery, visit their website. Please tell them that I referred you.
Get Crafty -This site is filled with so much crafting information it will make your head spin. They even have a crocheted skull so you know it's cool. Tonnes of articles that range from the politics of craft, thrift advice, and how-to instructions all the way to canning and cooking tips. Online store complete with T-shirt undies, pillows and T-shirts. Craft advice, message boards and so much more! This site could keep you busy for months. It will rock your socks off!
Go Vegan -Sarah Kramer is known for her sassy vintage style and layman’s approach to Veganism, and has been joyfully spreading the Vegan gospel to anyone who will listen. Appearing on national TV shows like Canada AM and W-5 as well as local shows like New Day Live, Breakfast Television and Go Magazine, she has also appeared as a guest on numerous radio stations such as CBC and NPR. Sarah also does live cooking appearances at festivals such as Word on The Street, Earth Save events and Vegetarian Conferences throughout Canada and the United States. AND she is originally from Regina. GO TEAM!
Homestarrunner -This site is always entertaining and hilarious. Yes. Always. Filled chock o' block with zany animations that will help you squander your time for hours on end. My personal favourites are the Strong Bad emails and the Fluffy Puff Marshmallow "commercials." BRRRRR....sooo creepy. Just go there. This site is updated regularly so visit often.
Ho Tam -Ho Tam was born in Hong Kong and educated in Toronto, Canada and worked in advertising firms and community psychiatric facilities before turning to art. He works in a diverse mix of disciplinary including painting, video, photography, print and public art and has exhibited in various cities across North America.
IPCNY -The International Print Center New York is the first non-profit institution devoted solely to the exhibition and understanding of fine art prints. Established in Chelsea in September 2000. IPCNY fosters a climate for enjoyment, examination and serious study of artists' prints from the old master to the contemporary. IPCNY nurtures the growth of new audiences for the visual arts while serving the print community through exhibitions, publications, and educational programs. -Loads of print-related links here!
Jon Davies -So, apparently no one puts a bio on their website anymore. I will now make some things up about Jon Davies. Should you run into Jon and wish to strike up a conversation, mention a movie. Any movie. Chances are he will have seen it and also know the history of each actor in it, as well as everything else the director has made. He is a smart cookie and will serve you Fanta if you go to his birthday party.
Karen Azoulay -Karen's art is the place where seemingly out of nowhere there is magic, wonder and beauty. Or at the very least yarn and coffee filters. She's just moved to New York, so look out folks!
Katalogue Zine -Katalogue is a zine devoted to the liberation and independence of the burgeoning underground art scene worldwide. Featuring illustration, text-based art, photography, theory, and fiction, Katalogue puts the concerned public in contact with the sympatico creative renegades who live to produce culture, not just to accept it.
Kim Kinakin -I first stumbled across Kim's zine Zetetic and his old band Sparkmarker years ago through the punk and hardcore music scenes. Zetetic touched me deep inside way back when and ever since I've had a soft spot for him. Check out his art, design work, and writing on his site. Loads of stuff here including a digital archive of his old zines, notably Faggo, a short-lived, but well-received queer punk zine. There were only ever three issues of Faggo, and I put an article in each one.
Learning to Love You More -Ok, how fun is this!? Think you can't be an artist? Need some guidance? Learning to Love You More is both a web site and series of non-web presentations comprised of work made by the general public in response to assignments given by artists Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher. Participants accept an assignment, complete it by following the simple but specific instructions, send in the required report (photograph, text, video, etc), and see their work posted on-line. Like a recipe, meditation practice, or familiar song, the prescriptive nature of these assignments is intended to guide people towards their own experience. Nice!
Lesbian/Gay/Bi Youthline -Since 1994, The Lesbian Gay Bi Youth Line has been providing a confidential, toll-free and non-judgmental peer-support phone line confidential for LGBTQ and questioning young people in Ontario. If you are a youth in Ontario and need peer support call 1-800-268-9688.
Libby Hague -Can you say fun and whimsical art with crafty flair and DIY appeal? Libby's work is magical, delicate and beautiful! It's like children's books have come alive right in front of you. Plus, it seems like everywhere you go she's got another show on. SO FUN!
Lickin' The Beaters -Don't pass up dessert! Even if you are vegan or trying to eat healthy there's no reason to deny yourself sweet treats. Lickin' the Beaters brings you fabulous low fat, dairy free desserts where even the second helping is guilt free. Illustrated with beautiful lino cuts or zany cartoons, you'll find the recipes fun, easy to follow and so good you'll eat half the batter. DIY published vegan dessert cookbook.
Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places -a postering project/networking project for queer artists to collaborate, takeover and discuss safe spaces for queers in Calgary. Watch out for raucous public displays of radical queer affection, art and community in your gaybourhoodz beginning Summer 2007.
Machine Gun -Self-described as the "Hotrod Tattoo Machine Bible" this is THE magazine for tattoo nerds. Machine Gun Magazine is filled with articles and interviews, most of which will only be understood by folks who actually tattoo. In any case, the "online feature" documenting the progression of a full-sleeve is pretty interesting. Plus it's by Bill who's kind of a maniac. Even if you don't tattoo they've got some neat-o shirts you may want to get your grubby hands on.
Malaqueerche -The outrageous escapade that is Malaqueerche-queer punk rock show takes you through a twisted campy world ripe with deceit, sex, car chases and rock n' roll. It's the race between the mohawks and the mullets, two queer gangs in search of punk rock stardom. This is also the website for the Junk, travelling queer underground film festival.
Mark Gervais -Mark Gervais is a Flash mastermind. If you haven't downloaded Flash yet this site is incentive enough. Gorgeous, stylish, chunky illustrations and animations that are so good they will make you cry, especially if you are in any way an illustration or graphics nerd. He worked on the NASA website, so you KNOW he's fancy. Take him snowboarding and he'll be your friend.
McSweeney's -This site is packed with fun and interesting articles and links of a literary nature. The bookish shall inherit the Earth! Dave Eggers and Co. are intensely productive fiends who run McSweeney's, 826 Valencia and The Believer to name a few. Who else can seamlessly combine a store for modern day pirates, a publishing house and workshop/tutorial space?
Miranda July -Miranda July is a filmmaker, performing artist and writer. She grew up in Berkeley, California where she began her career by writing plays and staging them at the local punk club. She wrote, directed and starred in her first feature-length film, Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), which won a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and four prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, including the Camera d’Or. July is currently working on a new performance. She lives in Los Angeles. But all that fancy-talk aside, her art is fantastic!
No Media Kings -Indie media publication information. Tips on how to publish and distribute your own books, videos and CD-ROMS. This page is packed with useful information and will keep you busy for hours. What are you waiting for, become the media!
Open Studio -Open Studio, Canada's leading printmaking centre, is dedicated to the production, preservation and promotion of contemporary original fine art prints. Open Studio is a comprehensive artist-run centre for contemporary printmaking practice, providing multi-faceted services, programs and information to artists and the public alike. As a national organization, Open Studio offers affordable and equal access to printmaking facilities, programs and services for artists from across Canada and abroad.
Paige Gratland -It would seem that the lovely Paige Gratland starts a new project approximately every five minutes. From being in bands to dancing in the streets (literally) to making tit pins and squishy videos she'll put a smile on your face. Unless you're some kind of curmudgeon or something.
Peaches -Peaches calls her site Peachesrocks. That's pretty much about all that needs to be said. If you haven't heard her music yet, now's the time!
Phoebe Gloeckner -Gloeckner is a comic artist and writer who is likely best known for her book Diary of a Teenage Girl. Her work is apparently described as "troubling," "nauseating," and, occasionally at the same time, "beautiful." Her work was the focus of an exhibition at San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum. She has given lectures about her work at colleges and universities all over the country, and has been a guest on radio and television alternative culture programs. She is now Assistant Professor in the School of Art and Design at The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Peter Kingstone -Peter says, "Hi, I am a single channel video." Photo and video installation artist based in Toronto, Canada. He is constantly working on different projects and video ideas. His website will be updated as new work is completed. He wants your love and kisses.
Queer Arts Resource -Queer Arts Resource was founded in 1996 as one of the first Internet-based arts organizations. Since that time they've produced over 40 exhibitions that suggest the range, depth, and importance of queer artistic expression. You can go directly to a little project I did with them a few years ago as part of an exhibition called Generation Q.
Queer By Choice(?) -A Daryl Vocat Web Project -Ruminating on sexuality, biological determinism and gender roles.
In a culture that bases itself on binaries I find it increasingly difficult to stake out an identity that I feel comfortable with. From the moment of birth we are forced into a culture that attempts to define us according to its specifications: man or woman, heterosexual or homosexual, producer or consumer, and so on. All of these categories deny human experiences and variations within them. In reality, our lives constantly change. What is defined now as one thing can have completely different implications in another decade or country...
Queerkit -QueerKit was created by, and for, radical queers interested in escaping uniformity, gay emancipation, commerciality, and lifestylism. We feel like our voices and talents, absent in larger scale publications and widely distributed media, have been unheard for too long. While we don't believe sexuality is everything, we do believe that we have been vastly misrepresented by those who do.We are dedicated to digitally mobilizing the brilliant queer population by organizing them, informing them, and connecting them with likeminded others around the world with the absence of stereotypes, marketing, and sexual agendas.
Revolutionary Voices -Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology celebrates the hues and harmonies of the future of queer society, presenting not a collection of stories but a collection of experiences, ideas, dreams, and fantasies expressed through prose, poetry, artwork, letters, diaries, and performance pieces.
Richelle Forsey -Richelle Forsey is a Toronto based photographer and photo illustrator whose works have appeared in international magazines/newspapers, public transit ads, TV commercials etc. She is also the co-founder of the zine Katalogue, a member of the TLR club and a website designer.
Rob Clarke -If you like drawings of svelte gay men doing nasty things this will be right up your alley. And when I say nasty I really mean that Rob does potty humour like few others can. Twinks, trolls, bears, cowboys, clowns, plushies, ponyboys, gymbunnies, dogslaves, and big babies, Oh my! Perverts everywhere love Rob's art work.
Robbie Conal -According to a blurb by Robbie Conal on his website "[he] quickly realized that art institutions are a severely limited arena of reception for ideas about public issues, so [he] made posters of [his] paintings and ran around the streets, spattering glue in every major city [he] could get to on [his] no budget, non-skeddo, total loss, rock'n'roll poster tours...building up a volunteer guerrilla postering army as [he] went. Art for the people.
Roula Partheniou -Roula says, "My work is marked by a concern for marriage of material and form. Using familiar objects as a starting point, I carry out simple games using an object’s inherent rules and properties to transform them. In the spirit of John Cage, I am "imitating nature in her manner of operations" and revealing basic formal and mathematical principles in the process." Sound good?
Royal Art Lodge -Oh Royal Art Lodge, hailing from the frozen depths of Winnipeg, how I adore you. This wonderful collective of artists make amazing drawings that really don't need to be described or written about. You just NEED to see the work. Now go!
Saatchi Gallery -"The Saatchi Gallery has always aimed to provide an innovative forum for contemporary art, presenting work by largely unseen young artists or by established international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. When The Saatchi Gallery first opened twenty years ago it was only those people who had a dedicated interest in contemporary art who sought out the gallery to see work by new artists. The audience, however, built steadily over the years and the gallery now receives over 600,000 visitors a year, and over 1,000 schools have organised student visits.
Safety Gear For Small Animals -The Museum of Safety Gear for Small Animals is the largest museum of safety gear for small animals in the world. It is an itinerant museum in three parts: the safety gear collection, the multi-media program, and the publishing house.
Satan Macnuggit -Satan Macnuggit Popular Arts actively supports initiatives to augment and eventually replace corporate and statist models of media production, which separate artists from their audience and each other. We believe in "guilt-free" DIY as an interim measure while looking toward an organized, unified counter-strategy. Committed to independent creation.
Scott McEwan -This handsome and jubilant young lad will wrestle the pants right off of you. Seriously. And he won't stop smiling the entire time. Scott's art will provide you with all your psychedelic freak-out wrestling needs.
Scott Treleaven -The official web presence of Scott Treleaven and the Salivation Army. Scott Treleaven is a Toronto-based writer & filmmaker. The subject and author of numerous articles and essays, best known for his zine-cum-film, The Salivation Army.
Scott Waters -Very spiffy art from a fellow who likes guns and birds, but not necessarily the two combined. Mr Waters makes the most homoerotic art you'll ever see from a "straight" guy. Sure, we have faith in his orientation. Wink wink. Seriously go here to see painting so gorgeous you will want to lick them.
Serigraphie Populaire -The Seripop folks design and print whackloads of fantastic screen prints. Their posters make me drool, and will probably do the same for you. In their own words "Hi there. We are Seripop. We design and print things. We also do editorial illustration. We like to work within the domain of "art-rock" , "hardcore" , "avant garde" music, progressive politics, independent theater, college radio and other neat projects that interest us." So there!
Shannon Gerard -Shannon is a comic book making machine and wiseass who seems to have a new project underway every five minutes. It's pretty incredible really. Have a look at her stuff, it's fun and sassy. Plus, if you don't, she will whip you with her hair of death. Uh...or something.
Shary Boyle -Shary Boyle is a wonderful artist whose work is mostly based on drawings of girls and women. She has created a world that is at once beautiful, magical and disturbing. Pointy hats, high heels, ships, tears, claws. Raw, tragic and fantastic!
Sholem Krishtalka -Sholem brings you this message. "My work is an attempt at self-discovery and self-locating...I am deeply interested in examining the intersection between personal and public histories. To put it another way, I wish to explode individual, personal narratives so that they achieve the scale and importance of grander social narratives." Then there was something else about being queer and going on a camping trip, but I cut that part out. He is also my art writing rival over at Xtra!
Shy and Free -Typically I find sites like this to be tedious, but it seems like there are a lot of resources here which could prove to be useful. "A personal growth site dedicated to transforming shyness into wholeness and happiness. Why are you shy? Perhaps your shyness is guiding you to someone and some things more wonderful than you can imagine. Maybe you are destined for deeper understanding, meaningful work, and mutually compassionate relationships." Let's hope so.
Sweetie Pie Press -Two words...Button lady. More buttons than you can shake a stick at really. If you want fun and pretty buttons, this is the place to go, if you need some buttons of your own made up for a decent price, look no further.
Toothpaste For Dinner -There are about a million little drawings on this site which is updated pretty much every day. Simple and nice. Soapbox style rantings and absurdity.
The Decemberists - "After adopting the moniker The Decemberists, these five wan vagabonds began playing their peculiarly styled pop music in various venues all across the greater northwest." The Decemberists are a wonderful band who put out their music on Kill Rock Stars. They have an accordian in the band, so you know they have to be pretty much amazing. Get thee to the nearest record shop immediately!
The Hidden Cameras -The Hidden Cameras are a band from Toronto that play "gay folk church music." They seem to be playing somewhere around the world all the time, they put on great live shows complete with go-go dancers, streamers, choir, viola, harp, participatory dance moves, and lots of other goodies. See what they are all about!
The Other Paul Butler -Paul Butler is the Canadian collage community's darling. Both crafty and nomadic Mr.Butler makes work that is easy on the eyes. The words "funny" and "thoughtful" come to mind. This site has loads of images. Paul rocks copyright infringement like it should be. He'll rock you too with his "Rocker" collages.
Threadless -Threadless is an ongoing tee shirt design competition. Two to three designs are chosen every week from 300+ submissions to be printed and sold from the site with the winning designers receiving $500 in cash and prizes! The project was started in January of 2000 by two Chicago area designers, Jake Nickell and Jacob DeHart. Since then over 200 winning designs have been chosen for print from more than 30,000 submissions.The Threadless community is thriving with over 100,000 users signed up to score designs and an average of 1,500 more signing up every week!
Trade: Queer Things -Online information about Trade: Queer Things zine. Trade is a Toronto-based zine that will keep you posted on queer hipsters of all sorts. Interviews and articles with and by mostly local artists, activists, writers, dancers and other cultural types. Available in queer Toronto book stores.
2x4 to the forhead -2x4 to the forehead produces a wide variety of hand-crafted items, ranging from fine bindings through to computer software.One of the most popular items is the annual 365 Reasons Not To Be Bored calendar. Most of the items are entirely the responsibility of funny guy James Spyker. Who else can make parallels between software engineering and bookbinding?
Vegan Chef -If you are thinking of becoming vegan here is a great place to start. This site is chock-full of tasty vegan recipes from Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett. Tons of people say they don't know how to cook anything vegan. After looking at this site there will be no excuse. Also have a look at the links section for a gaggle of veggie sites which include everything about being vegan from politics to piles of recipes that will make you mouth water and your heart pound with delight!
Whedonesque -This is one of the better sites related to the Buffyverse. WHEDONesque is a community weblog discussing the work of TV maker (sweetie and insane genius) Joss Whedon. Anyone can post a story or comment to this site, as long as it pertains to Joss Whedon's work. Share your views on Buffy, Angel, Firefly and any other projects in which Joss is involved. Blood and Burba weed will be served. Bring your own demon.
Will Munro -Hand-stitched art underwear. Will makes underwear from found textiles that range from heavy metal t-shirts and punk patches, to tea cozies and macramé. Clever and funny work that speaks about sexuality and gender in a very accessible manner.