A pop-up art market set up to sell the work of Toronto-based Indigenous artists is drawing visitors from throughout the GTA.
The Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts’ Indigenous Art Market opened in early November at 1107 Queen St. E. in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood, with lineups of people waiting to browse a curated selection of goods made by Indigenous artists.
Curator and organizer Barb Nahwegahbow said the shop’s success has established a “huge demand” for authentic Indigenous goods in Toronto. She and Marcos Arcentales set up the market and it has grown from 15 to more than 30 artists due to demand. Customers are coming from as far away as Windsor and Sudbury, she said.
The Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts is Canada’s oldest Indigenous arts service organization. It funds the market, providing a space for artists to showcase and sell their work, with 100 per cent of sales going directly to the artists. It’s scheduled to stay open until Dec. 24.
“It’s a source of great pride and inspiration to have a place like this that showcases so much of the beauty that we create,” said Nahwegahbow. “Artists are so important to our community and our culture. They’re the storytellers, the dreamers, the historians, the visionaries and the truth-tellers.”
Shoppers will find traditional items such as moccasins and intricate beadwork, and more contemporary designs, such as art by abstract painter Mel Bartel, jewelry from designer Warren Steven Scott and Denesee Paul’s paintings on wood panels.
Whether you’re holiday shopping or just looking to treat yourself, it’s a great place to find Indigenous-made gifts this holiday season.
Native Arts Society
The Native Arts Society shop and gallery features art from homeless or incarcerated Indigenous artists, run by Brianna Olson Pitawanakwat and Nanook Gordon. Proceeds from their orange shirts support Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction, a grassroots initiative started in April 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic to support people unable to access social services or living in encampments in Toronto. Visit their shop Thursday to Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. at 115 Church St. or shop online.
Native Canadian Centre
The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto hosts an online marketplace featuring more than 20 artists from across Canada, with links to buy from the artists’ websites. Artists include Wesley Havill, an artisan blacksmith who works with copper and steel; handcrafted flutes by Bryan Towers and art by Ojibwe artist Mark Seabrook.
Pacha Indigenous Art Collection
Pacha Indigenous Art Collection is an Indigenous family-owned shop run by Patricia Cajas and Marcos Arcentales from the Kichwa community of Peguche in the Andes region of Northern Ecuador. Their Toronto-based online shop aims to connect Indigenous artists from North and South America via arts and craft fairs, workshops and artist talks. Browse for gifts that include textiles, jewelry, artwork and clothing.
Wiiji’iwe Collective
Natasha Jones started Wiiji’iwe Collective to share the creativity of Indigenous artists she met while working as a teacher in the northern community of Aroland First Nation. It’s a way to support artists who live in remote communities and to make their art more accessible, says Jones, who works full-time as a teacher in Halton. Jones spent six months consulting with Indigenous friends and elders before launching on Instagram. The name Wiiji’iwe, which means “going together with the people,” was gifted to her by Pauline Gagnon, an elder in Aroland.
Raven Reads
Raven Reads is an Indigenous subscription box offering seasonal subscriptions for adults and children, including Indigenous literature and giftware created by Indigenous people. Every three months, subscribers receive curated Indigenous books, giftware, cultural items and educational content.
Scout
Toronto’s Scout carries home decor such as pillows, napkins and blankets from Indigo Arrows and Sḵwálwen Botanicals, an Indigenous brand creating botanical skin care products.
Likely General
Discover jewelry and prints by Lindsay Lickers and bath bombs by Roots + Raven at Likely General.
Craft Ontario Shop
The Craft Ontario Shop & Gallery offers handmade items, including Indigenous-made textiles, stone carvings, jewelry, moccasins and dreamcatchers.
Wolf Moon
The Wolf Moon in Minden, Ont., stocks Indigenous-made products in its online shop, including candles from Land of Daughters, natural skin care products from Wildcraft, and jewelry from Warren Steven Scott and Inner Wolf. Shop for fine art prints by Emily Kewageshig, an Anishinaabe artist known for her art prints inspired by traditional Ojibwe Woodland artists.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
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