The Fall 2025 visual arts season is underway and there is much to enjoy!

Fall Weather Beckons Art Tours

Our first September event was an artist talk with 2025 Project Support winnerartist Ella Gonzales who, in conversation with Mercer Union Director and Curator Theresa Wang, discussed her year-long Space billboard commission Sleeve.

Featured is a video walkthrough as Ella welcomes us into her studio and a view as she installs the third billboard. The installation is at Mercer Union Gallery 1286 Bloor Street West on the outside east wall of the gallery.

Our weather has been perfect, and it’s a great time to explore the many galleries Toronto has to offer. While we offer many tours, we cannot possibly cover all that is on offer in our city and surroundings.

Consider a stroll through some of the these galleries. Why not go as a small group? You will have a great time and it’s one more way we can show TFVA support to our visual arts community. Some galleries are in part of Toronto where parking is a challenge (that’s practically everywhere in Toronto these days!) – why not car pool or take public transit or taxi?

When you visit, take the time to introduce yourself to the gallery staff and owner(s) present – actually it’s a great to wear your TFVA name badge. You may even receive a small personalized tour of that current exhibit. Before leaving, take the time to sign their guest book- it means a lot.

Each month, we’ll mention a few:

Daniel Faria Gallery 188 St. Helen’s               Daniel Faria Gallery
Clint Roenisch Gallery 190 St. Helen’s           Clint Roenisch Gallery 
Cooper Cole 1134 Dupont                              Cooper Cole 
MKG 127 1445 Dundas Street West                 MKG
Patel Brown 21 Wade Avenue                        Patel Brown

A great exhibition is on at the On-Site Gallery at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCADU) is at 199 Richmond Street West. Belonging is the first retrospective of renowned Red River Metis artist Rosalie Favell, showcasing a powerful curated selection of her lens-based works from 1982 to 2024. This exhibition celebrates Favell’s groundbreaking photographic practice and is well worth seeing. Belonging
Going Deeper

Our Opening Session featured information about massed-timber architecture and the new public art installation the Lassonde Art Trail. Consider a stroll in this exciting new area of Toronto!

Our speakers also shared this additional information:
Article from Canadian Architect
Video case study
The Lassonde Art
Membership at TFVA

Our new members are getting acquainted with our organization and all we have to offer. We now invite you to consider proposing new members and learn the changes to this process.

The Membership Committee is pleased to introduce a new proposer form designed to help us gather background information on proposed members. This information will identify potential members on the proposed member list if we need to fill spots on any of our committees.

Additionally please note the following guidelines for this year.

1. Each applicant now only requires one proposer

2. Members may propose no more than two applicants per year.

In addition; If you have any changes to the information about you posted on our membership roster, we want to know.

For both contact Chair Jane Barber at mbarber3305@rogers.com
Coming Up!

The Art Canada Institute (ACI)  has an upcoming Public Art talk to which we are all invited! It is a free event but registration is required.

On Monday, September 29, the Art Canada Institute will present Portraits of Canada: Photography, Identity & the Art of Hannah Maynard, Yousuf Karsh & Arnaud Maggs. Authors whose biographical work focuses on each of these photographers will discuss the lives and work of these icons of Canadian art, and explore how portrait photography can serve as a means to reflect cultural, social, and political history.

Monday, September 29th, @ 6:30 PM

Isabel Bader Theatre

93 Charles St. W, Toronto ON

RSVP here
Mark your calendars for the holiday season….

TFVA Holiday luncheon is Monday December 8 at Rosedale Golf Club. Details to follow.

Meet Some New Members
Susan Ades

Susan was a docent at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and has worked in a commercial gallery as a sales assistant. She is interested in all aspects of the visual arts, both academic and commercial.  Her professional training was in film studies.

Susan is delighted to join a community of passionate art enthusiasts, to expand her knowledge and understanding of the art world.

Leslie Stanford

Leslie is looking forward to joining fellow TFVA members for lectures, museum visits and the many other enriching educational opportunities offered by our organization. She has enjoyed the cultural life of Toronto: music, architecture, literature and the visual arts. As a seasoned traveller, she has visited many well-known galleries around the world.

Leslie appreciates the creative process, which she feels provides a perspective that she might not have considered previously. As well, she values the importance of supporting artists in their creative endeavours. That support is an essential objective of Toronto Friends, and as such Leslie is proud to now be a member.

Jackie Tilford

Jackie is also looking forward to the many learning opportunities offered by TFVA. She has long appreciated many expressions of the visual arts, but expects to refine her perceptions of the various expressions of visual art as she participates in our programming.

Jackie has a long resume of volunteerism, and anticipates the pleasure of active participation as a member of Toronto Friends.

Barbara 

Barbara Lemaire, President
President@tfva.ca