Berkeley Castle Gallery

Lisa Traicoff : the Spirit of Trees, March 1 until March 31, 2010

2010-03-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

Lisa Traicoff: the Spirit of Trees

an obsessive exploration

This exhibition of works on paper runs from March 1 until March 31.

The reception is on Friday March 12th. 4:00 - 9:00 pm.

Over a 3 year period in areas in and around Hamilton, Ontario, Lisa Traicoff documented trees. Working on the grounds of Dundurn Castle and around Hamilton Harbour at the Royal Botanical Gardens and Woodland Cemetery, she has filled over 25 sketch books and 300 sheets of paper with these drawings of living trees.

Curator Dianne Acey has chosen to hang a limited number of works while the sketch books and stacks of more drawings are laid out on table tops with cotton gloves available for those wishing to look through them.

Drop by now, come back for the opening, share this information with your friends on Facebook, twitter, or your favourite Social Networking site and spread the word.

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Opening Night

Curator Dianne Acey (in Black) welcomes neighbours to the gallery on a rainy opening night.

With white cotton gloves, gallery visitors are perusing the piles of sketch books and drawings on display at a leisurely pace.

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next exhibition

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Call for submission:
coming soon

Who's your Neighbourhood

Photography Exhibit.

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Words by Joe Lewis
Edited by Tim Eix

Love Actually February 12 - February 28,2010

2010-02-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

Love Actually was the second exhibition at Berkeley Castle Gallery. It opened Thursday, February 11 and was an invitational group show of friends of the Berkeley Castle Gallery, including artists from the neighbourhood and students from Dianne Acey's "Art Explores Psychology" class at George Brown College.

"Responsibilities " by M Ola, 2010, mixed media with shoes. Behind are two pillows by two different artists. One is painted and the other by a student is a goodwill find that he has hand embroider with text.

In the March 2010 issue of the Bulletin, Toronto's Downtown Newspaper, Richard Reinert writes with enthusiasm about the new gallery space on the east end of the Esplanade, which in 1793 was a swamp on the eastern edge of the original site of the town of York.

You can read about the artist prospective of this exhibition and this gallery on Artwork by Tatiana Künstlerische Arbeit von Tatiana and the Continuous Poem - A Blog of Creative Writing and Poetry blogs by artist Tatiana and poet Irina - collaborated on two works in the show.

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up and coming shows

This exhibition has finished. The next show, Trees: works on paper, is a solo exhibition of Lisa Traicoff's and is now up and will be on display for the month of March with a public reception on March 12 4pm until 9pm. Dianne Acey working as curator of this exhibition had over three hundred drawings to choose from. These gestures of living trees have been captured on paper by Lisa Traicoff . The exhibition includes a collection of 25 of the artist sketch books to look through.

Drop by now come back for the opening.

Sisters by Kathy Schicker, jacquard woven cloth, 2005, 1m50 height x (1,10 m x 3 ) 3.30m width, 60” height X (43.3 “ X 3 ) 128” width Warp: mercerized cotton Weft: cotton slub

" telling tales : narrative woven textiles by Joe Lewis and Kathy Schicker"
is scheduled for the month of April and will be opening on Saturday April 10, 2010.
this exhibition is co-sponsored by the Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles as part of their 20 year celebration and fibreQUARTERLY on-line

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Words by Joe Lewis
Edited by Tim Eix

Dianne Acey Paintings January 28th - February 7th 2010

2010-01-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, January 25th, the first exhibition opened at the new Berkeley Castle Gallery. An exhibition of paintings by Dianne Acey showed works on canvas and paper ranging in subject matter from Landscape and figurative works in degrees of abstraction from impressionistic colour washes to pure action painting.

She is the local resident that brought the idea of opening a gallery in this space and it was only fitting that she have the first show. As a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and an award winning teacher who has works at George Brown College where she has taught art making in relationship psychology for over a decade. While continuing to work and show occasionally, she is aware of the pitfalls that artists needing to make a living and support their partice run into. She brought her idea of opening a creative space to a group of friends, colleagues and neighbours with idea of making a place where Art, art making, education, and community interaction could occur.

With work installed and an opening under their belt, the group she brought together only a month before has just begun the work of figuring out how the space will function. As time progresses and locals wonder in and discover the space, chat with the attendants/ gallery hosts, and exercise their curiosity, they will bring to the table more energy and ideas. Concepts abound and the skills to bring them to fruitation do also.

Drop by - if the door is open come in and look around. Sign the guess book and tell us what you think, or if you have questions or ideas leave your contact information with the person at the desk. Follow this blog to keep up to date with what is happening. Share it on your favourite Social Networking site. Become a friend of Berkeley Castle Gallery and help build the Community.

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watch this space for updates

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Photos by Tim Eix
Words by Joe Lewis - Edited by Tim Eix

Berkeley Castle Gallery Introduction, a short History

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The Past

Originally this site was part of Toronto Bay. Berkeley Street, which was the eastern edge of the original 1793 town site of York, terminated there. A formal garden and fairground existed there as well. Joseph Small, who was once mayor of the town, owned the property and built a wharf at the foot of Berkeley Street.

Later in the 1860's, it was Joseph Simpson's Knitting Mill "His building is of brick, 55 x 145 feet upon the ground and three storeys in height: the third floor is used for carding or working the raw material, the second floor for spinning and knitting, and the first floor for finishing, store room and offices. He has the very best machinery manufactured."

-History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario,

By Charles Pelham Mulvany,
Graeme Mercer Adam 1885 page 387.

1894 view looking east. visible behind the Eliah Rogers Sign is the 1868 mill now the north wall of Berkeley Castle Court yard

Plaque from Toronto Historical Board given 1982.

The Heritage Canada Foundation: 1984 National Award of Honour

To read more about the history of this building, please visit Brenda Dougall Merriman's blog. She is a genealogist [certified in 1976 by the Board for Certification of Genealogists,Washington DC] and tells the story of "Joseph Small, who was once mayor of the town, owned the property and built a wharf at the foot of Berkeley street", and that is just the first chapter. http://brendadougallmerriman.blogspot.com/2009/09/historical-toronto-berkeley-castle-and.html

The Present: Berkeley Castle Gallery

Opening reception for Dianne Acey painting exhibition on January 28, 2010 at the new Berkeley Castle Gallery

In the 1960-70 and into the 80s, 2 Berkeley was a building being used by artist as studio and illegal residents in a time when landlords turned a blind eye in preference for rent rather then buildings going derelict and deteriorating. The current owners redeveloped the building for office and commercial use and took care in maintaining its "hisrtoricalness". Their efforts where noticed by Toronto Historical Board and The Heritage Canada Foundation.

By taking on this space with the intention of bring art making back to building, this becomes a new "Culturpreneurial" enterprise.. With a high ceiling, and 99 liner feet of wall space Berkeley Castle Gallery is 1580 square feet of gallery space suitable for group or solo exhibitions. This flexible space is available for exhibitions, workshops, meetings, and other community based cultural activities. It is a place for you see art in, or present your own works.

Schedules and fees are currently unavailable, but if you what to keep up to date you can "Follow" this blog...

Once Around the Gallery

street entrance is on the eastside and part of a wall of windows

south Wall

south west corner

West alcove which will be workshop /classroom space
North wall heading back to the front entrance

Full circle brings you back to the front door opening off of Berkeley just south the the main entrance to the Building.

Berkeley Castle Gallery
2 Berkeley Street, Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario Phone
(647) 377-6765

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Photos from "The Present" b y Tim Eix
Words and Research by Joe Lewis
Edited by Tim Eix