NICHE style Summer 2016

Falls on Toronto interior arwork in the south lounge by Jason McLean
and the exterior Think Up Idea wall mural on the roof terrace.
Walking down Queen West with Betty Ann was invigorating and
exciting; she was brimming with local information and passion for this
neighbourhood. She introduced me to store owners and entrepreneurs,
artists and residents who all shared her passion. I spent time in some
cool little shops; a few of my favourites included The Paper Place and
Cocktail Emporium, which had an amazing retro neon sign.
My stand-out favourite art piece was the giant wall mural, You’ve
Changed, created by artist Jesse Harris in 2012. Strong words that refer
to the changing face of the West Queen West neighbourhood.
Near the end of our walking tour, we came upon a colourful Japanese
wall mural that must have spanned fifty feet across the side of the Sanko
Trading Company building at Queen Street West and Claremont. Created
in 2014 by creative director Ken Galloway and five Japanese artists –
Timothy Fukakusa, Mitsuo Kimura, Takashi Iwasaki, Darcy Obokata, and
Shogo Okada – the intention was to explore, celebrate and share various
elements of Japanese culture. It is stunning!
Next time you are in Toronto, take a walk! Head down to West Queen
West, giving yourself lots of time to wander into all the locally run
shops, savour the unique flavours and gaze upon the many forms of art
that line the streets.
For more information on this neighbourhood, visit WestQueenWest.ca
or Tourism Toronto at SeeTorontoNow.ca.
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