Freedom Clothing Collective

Valentine's Day Gift Guide #2!

2012-02-10T21:03:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, you have one last weekend to get this right. As always, we have you covered.
Without further ado, here are our selection of Freedom items that would make amazing gifts for your femmes and hommes. After all, don't you know you get extra points for getting something that is eco-friendly, made with love, and one-of-a-kind?

OFFICE GEARS

C COMME CA

SPARROW AVENUE

TORCHED STUDIO

TWEEK

WOODLOT (Um, yes, this is an essential for an office desk. Just trust us.)

MULE MOTHER BOOKS

JEWELRY

GENEVIEVE JODOUIN

NEOGAMI

STUDIO METHOD(E)

SARAH DE GASPERIS

AWAKE & DREAMING

KATHRYN REBECCA

AWAKE & DREAMING

SPOILERS (as in, something to really spoil your valentine. In a good way.)

PRIYA MEANS LOVE

LAVENDER SACHETS & EYE PILLOW BY EMMA'S HOME

For more photos and ideas, like our Facebook page and check out the Valentine's Day Gift Guide album.
Call us (416-530-9946) or e-mail us if you want something reserved (deposit required).

Photos from the opening night of A Collected Collection by Jessica Bartram

2012-02-07T19:49:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night was such a blast! Finally, the exhibition that we had been secretly planning for over a year was ready to present to the public. Thank you, all of you who came out in support of Jessica's incredible work.

The window mannequin gets dressed up for the occasion.

The pieces are hung, mostly by the order of the narrative. Yes, of course, there is a narrative. A story for each illustration. Pre-order the book by visiting us!

Captivated audience. Nay, mesmerized.

Jessica, explaining what the heck she was thinking. Just kidding.

And so, an antlered pigeon says, "Go on to the Facebook page to see more photos!"

For those of you who missed it, the exhibition will be on view until March 26th, 2012. It may seem long, but not if you don't mark it on your to-see list. Especially if you are thinking of taking some of the works home!

To be on our mailing list so that you shall never miss another fantastical show, please e-mail us.

Congratulations, Jessica! Special thanks to Mary Bartram, who generously blessed us with her famous, oh-so-tasty date squares and cheesy crackers. (OK, now I'm hungry.)

Preview!!!

2012-02-03T12:35:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder that the opening for A Collected Collection: The Discoveries of R.W. Brackley by Jessica Bartram is happening tonight!

Here are some exclusive photos from yesterday's hanging and prepping.

Isn't it looking gorgeous?!?! There are still two more pieces to hang, too. Also check out the video of what's going to go on the window: http://twitpic.com/8f0kvc.

See you tonight!!!!

Valentine's Day Love

2012-01-31T16:13:00.002-05:00

Valentine's Day is a day for all those people you love and appreciate: grandpa, grandma, father, mother, daughter, son, sister, brother, best friend, colleague ... that cute girl that works at that local shop (just saying!).

We have lots of little trinkets to say, "I care and you're special to me" - all the while also stating, "I'm mindful of things like buying local and reducing my consumerism footprint".
Win win!

Also, here is a really delicious and healthy meal you can make your loved one - it has cute red cranberries in it, for festivity purposes.
Found here >> Quinoa Salad w Cranberries and Pecans.
It's good and it's good for you!

P.S. We like this recipe with extra, extra garlic :)

February Mending Night with WORN Fashion Journal

2012-01-30T21:35:00.000-05:00

A new year but the same old clothes, what's a person to do? Join the boys and girls of WORN & Freedom Clothing Collective this Thursday, Feb 2nd from 7-10 pm for Mending Night.

Come mend coats, fix holes or work on any ol project that needs your attention. Not only will there be darning experts on hand, but also fantastic conversation, tasty treats and supplies aplenty. Worried that you don't have anything to mend? No sweat, come over and say hi anyways. We'd love to see you.

On these cold winter nights the last thing you want to do is be stuck at home with your chores.

A Collected Collection: The Discoveries of R.W. Brackley by Jessica Bartram

2012-01-23T10:19:00.002-05:00

Jessica Bromley Bartram is now back, with a new array ofwhimsical and captivating creatures. Since her solo in 2010, "Farther’s Fascinating Freaks," Jessicahas been busy envisioning and breathing life into R.W. Brackley: a Victoriansea explorer.

This exhibition includes an original watercolour portrait ofR.W. Brackley and original illustrations of the sea creatures she discovered during her adventures. The exhibition will open on February 3^rd, but hereare some exclusive photos from before the works were mounted.

There is more where these came from: Jessica is also a zealous note-taker and diarist when it comes to documenting her art-making process. Follow the making of this exhibition via her blog here.

Join Jessica and us at the opening reception:

Friday, February 3^rd at 8 pm

Freedom Clothing Collective

939 Bloor Street West

Exhibition runs until March 26^th.

The Facebook invite is here & here.

A sister exhibition is also happening at Graven Feather Gallery: "A Collected Collection, Pt. 2" from February 1st to March 3rd. Check out their website for more information.

Animals House - the cutie ed.

2012-01-13T15:25:00.000-05:00

here at freedom we love our animals!

Here is a quick but lengthy glimpse and some beauties that fill our store.

one of my favourite pictures from >> boston.com

a rescued circus lion gives kisses to a woman who founded the shelter he lives in :)

Mending Night is Back!

2012-01-11T23:25:00.003-05:00

So, you spent all your spending money at Freedom Clothing Collective to buy gifts for the whole family (and practically the whole block since you found so many awesome things). Your mother has never loved you more and you get chocolate coins in your mailbox, but face it, you can't really buy a new sweater. Even if it's all organic, locally made and would totally last for years.
That's fine. Really. Let's work on some up-cycling, re-purposing, and creative mending, shall we?

Mending Night is back and this time the Wornettes are bringing a serger for all your ambitious start-of-the-year projects! Join us tomorrow, Thursday the 12th, from 7 to 10 pm for a warm mending circle and a laugh or two.

Can't make it but would want to come for the next time?
Like our Facebook page here so you'll always be in the loop.

Happy New Years!

2011-12-31T11:18:00.001-05:00

Celebrate this New Year's Eve with Freedom:

Remember, our boxing week sales end on the 31st!

Most of the dresses and skirts above are on sale for 20-30% off.

Hours:

Saturday, Dec 31st from 11 am to 6 pm

Closed on Sunday, Jan 1st

Regular hours on Monday, Jan 2nd - noon to 7:30 pm.

Happy New Years everybody!

2011 has been an excellent year and it is all because of your support and love for our the locally handmade goods of our 100+ artists and designers.

Cheers to a more excellent and successful 2012!

xo,

karen, jelena and marsya

love us. we were made in your neighbourhood.

Extended Hours

2011-12-21T11:32:00.001-05:00

We've really enjoyed this past year and thank you all for the wonderful support.

We wouldn't be here without you!! :D

This Friday and Saturday Freedom will be open longer for all you last min shoppers. (it's ok we often wait till the last min too!)

Extended Hours

Friday 23rd from 10am to 9pm
Saturday 24th from 10am to 7pm

Welcome Hana Clothing!

2011-12-11T16:22:00.000-05:00

You know those wonderful wrap skirts you have been eying at the store?

One or our fabulous customers in her new wrap skirt - SO PRETTY!

Koocoo hounds-tooth scarf, Kali Clothing infinity scarf,
Atelier B lyocell cowl neck top and Foundlings Wrap skirt

These skirts are from the label Foundlings, which is undergoing a transformation - for the better, of course. They are launching under a new name, Hana Clothing, a name that is more intimate and special to the designer, Hannah.

Check out her wonderful scarves, totes and the Spring 2012 line HERE. Yes, no worries, you'll see them at Freedom soon enough. Well... in the Spring!

But for now come by the store and see the great selection of one-of-a-kind wrap skirts we have in stock.

They are super flattering and "eating-a-little-bit-extra friendly" which we all need sometimes, especially for the holiday season. Shhh... I won't tell!

Tonight: Opening of Members Show & Sale Event

2011-12-09T11:51:00.001-05:00

We've made your Holiday Shopping easy. And most importantly, it's going to be fun. Holiday shopping is not a chore when you're surrounded by familiar faces and one-of-a-kind items made with love.

Here's a sampling of what we have on the walls.

Row by row, from the top:
Jacob Rolfe, for the dreamers on your list
Jessica Bartram's watercolour portraits - find a match for your loved ones!
Leah Gold puts wildlife in an urban context, for the city-dwellers who need to reconnect with nature
and 12x12 windows to the wonders of the seas, the air, and the land by Laura Fedynyszyn.

Beautiful, right? Be sure you come early, we only have a couple editions of each print!

Freedom Team Visits One of a Kind

2011-11-29T18:09:00.035-05:00

The Freedom team took a field trip to the One of a Kind show to support our artists and designers. It felt a little bit like a reunion - we got to say hi to our out-of-town designers that we barely get to see, catch up with those that have gone MIA in preparations for holiday madness, and check out a wide selection of their goods.

It was inspiring to see the booths that each of them put together. These little habitats shed another light into their creative vision and resourcefulness (of course, upscycled and restyled materials were often used in the building of these nooks).

Without further ado, here are some quick shots that we took to share with you guys!

atelier b., made in Montreal by Catherine Metivier and Anne-Marie Laflamme. We carry an extensive selection of their extremely well-made, sustainable line. Each of us owns numerous items by them and we're still wanting more!

Jen Kneulman is the power girl behind Freshly Printed: a line of organic tea-towels, aprons, and other kitchen wear. She prints at her Harbourfront studio with all natural dyes, as you might have learned from our blogpost way back when.

Based in Montreal, Cindy Cantin makes incredibly well-made bags from wool felt and leather that she obtains from furniture factories. Learn more about her line by scrolling down or clicking here.

Another fabulous Montreal designer is Noujica. These. Scarves. Are. The. Warmest. And. The. Coolest. Cannot emphasize that more.

Krystal Speck makes colourful earthenware with imagery from nature. Her pieces bring a bright touch of the outdoors to your kitchen and home. She's based in Toronto, but sometimes scours Ontario farmlands for discarded wood, in this case, she used these remnants for this comfortably rustic booth.

Made just a few minutes away from Freedom, these mittens by SLO are becoming a common sight all around Toronto. Made from upcycled wool sweaters and lined with fleece for extra comfort and warmth. Check out these new ones for them little guys!

Last but not least is Voyou by Lise-Marie Cayer, who is so sweet she got us free tickets to the show. This whole blogpost would not happen without her generosity, and yet ironically, I forgot to take a photo of her booth. Truth be told, I was too distracted by her new winter coats. (They come in black and red, with tan leather detailing and huge pockets.) Good thing Karen took a photo for tweeting purposes though!

We also made new friends, because there is no way we can walk right pass pretty handmade items!

1. Maude makes beautiful vases, mugs, espresso cups, and other dishes in Montreal.
2. Fiona Louie makes stunning sterling silver jewelry. Here's a close-up view of a bunny ring, and there's a slug right next to it too.
3. Jenna Rose designs and screen-prints her own fabric to make adorable throws, pillows, and home decor items. Kate Hunyer helps with the production process out of their studio in Hamilton. Sometimes she knits and works at shows too.
4. Adea Chung makes jewelry out of recycled wood in British Columbia. Her line is called billy would.
5. Ashley Coulson designs and screen-prints her own line of stationery and custom wedding invitations under the label Flakes Paperie.
6. Kessa sews the cutest line of children wear called Patouche. She also made an amazing fabric tree for her booth.
7. This adorable owl is by Hilary Cosgrove. It is simply the cutest creature in the whole show!

The One of a Kind show is still going on for a few more days. It's just a subway ride and $14 admission price away! Of course, if you can't make it, our doors are open every day from noon to 7:3o and we do indeed carry one-of-a-kind, handmade goods from 140 local artists, including those that you see in this post.

Wishing you the best of pre-holiday shopping!

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

2011-11-24T10:11:00.001-05:00

We present to you a guide, that is by no means complete (trust us!), to the wonderful goodies you could buy your loved ones this holiday season.

Click on the image to make it bigger :)

Big bear hug thank you to Megan Jana for making this beautiful Gift Guide

into a thing of absolute stunning-ness!!
Of course, we also thank YOU, dear readers, for choosing to support local creatives this holiday season. We hope these one-of-a-kind goodies will bring extra warmth to your families and friends.
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Reminder: Reception this Friday for Change of Seasons

2011-11-23T16:14:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder that the reception for this month's exhibition, Change of Seasons by Geneviève Jodouin is happening this Friday, Nov 25th at 8 pm.

The exhibition consists of a four-metre-long installation piece along the top of our east wall (pictured above) and four framed pieces (see below). Each of the framed pieces represents a season from the installation. While the installation is staying with us until January, the framed works are coming down at the beginning of December. You get to see a lot of the wonderful details of the figures and the floral cityscape through these pieces, so make sure you check them out before it's too late!

Change of Seasons

By Geneviève Jodouin

Nov 11 - Jan 31

Reception: Friday, Nov 25th at 8 pm

Learn more in our original post here.

City of Craft 2011

2011-11-23T13:21:00.002-05:00

This year's City of Craft is coming up! Are you excited? We are! We looked through photos of their vendors and Marsya ended up curating a mini show-and-tell of her favourite art prints. Check it out on the City of Craft blog!

It also features two of our designers: 1% Talent (you've seen his monster prints on tees and tote bags at Freedom) and Jacob Rolfe (keep an eye out for his prints and calendar).

City of Craft 2011

Sat, December 10th at 11 - 6

Sun, December 11th at 11 - 5

The Theatre Centre - 1087 Queen St West

Thrush Holmes Empire - 1093 Queen St West

For more info, check out their site!

C comme ça bags Now Available at Freedom Clothing.

2011-11-13T14:44:00.000-05:00

C comme ça is a concept born from the desire to combine

design, ecology and everyday living.

With formal training in art and design and also extensive experience with aboriginal communities, Cindy Cantin has made felt, a material used extensively by our ancestors, her material of choice. She discovered that it possesses many remarkable, yet unexpected properties; made of merino wool or recycled fibres, felt is sustainable, durable and water resistant. Her custom-made protective sleeves for laptops, iPhones, iPods and iPads provide a natural protection for today's most modern devices while her storage baskets or desk organizers bring a touch of warmth to contemporary interiors. Cindy combines felt, recycled leather and other diverse materials into clean streamlined designs. Playing with the modern as well as the traditional, she has developed a unique, timeless style; simplicity married with classical, or sometimes even vintage.

www.ccommeca.ca

All of these unique items were handmade in Montreal.

Tonight is WORN Fashion Journal's Black Cat Ball

2011-11-12T07:54:00.000-05:00

As always, Freedom is your one stop shop for all you need to be the belle of the ball!

Saturday, Nov 12th at the Dovercourt House (five minutes away from Freedom!). Doors open at nine. Learn more about the event here.

November Exhibition: Change of Seasons by Geneviève Jodouin

2011-11-10T15:05:00.001-05:00

Change of Seasons

By Geneviève Jodouin

Nov 11 - Jan 31

Reception: Friday, Nov 25th at 8 pm

Geneviève has taken on the changing of the seasons as her subject matter. As time passes in her piece, the 175 figures she has illustrated walk through a floral cityscape while adding and then removing layers of clothing to reflect the temperature outside. The simple actions of taking a walk and dressing become a four-metre long narrative that takes the viewer through one year in the city.

The relationships between people and the spaces they live in is a recurring theme in Jodouin's work. In these prints, she focuses on the streets that she travels to and from work every day. The city becomes a secondary character in this piece, dressed up in her trademark floral patterning. It is a whimsical background to the quiet solitude of the figure, walking alone as the colours around her are turning.

Geneviève Jodouin was born and raised in Northern Ontario, she now lives and works in Toronto. She holds a BFA from the Ontario College of Art and Design, from which she graduated in 2006. She prints and teaches at Open Studio and works at The Japanese Paper Place. She is represented at LE gallery where she has been exhibiting for the past 7 years.

Learn more:
www.genevievejodouin.ca
www. le-gallery.ca

Meet and Greet with Priya Means Love!

2011-11-07T11:11:00.001-05:00

We are hosting a meet-and-greet with Priya of Priya Means Love next Saturday, Nov 12th at 2 to 5 pm. Can't wait till then? Thank goodness for Francie of Sister Valentine who interviewed Priya for us as a prelude to the event!
With the days getting increasingly colder here in Southern Ontario, we're all beginning to remember the little pet peeves that are expected every year: your hair is a frizzy mess, your hands feel like sandpaper, and your chapped lips are begging for relief. Priya Means Love natural and organic products are just what your skin and hair will be asking for!
They are made from all-natural ingredients like organic herbs, clays, cold-pressed organic oils, local beeswax, and organic essential oils. The natural smells of these products alone will surely invite you to try them.

Made from scratch by Priya herself, these products are not at all like what you would find in malls or department stores. “Sometimes when I’m going about my day, I smell something that triggers an idea. I get a visual olfactory in my head that I want to create,” said Priya. “I do the whole process, from start to finish, myself: I formulate my concoctions, craft them by infusing, melting, and blending my ingredients in just the right way, and I package and write the labels myself.”

Priya believes there is a certain energy from truly handcrafted goods and hopes that this quality shows through in her line. “It’s especially exciting when I’ve created a product that not only works, but also one that people say to be impossible to make without using synthetics (haircare is a good example) – and yet I’ve made it without compromising one bit of my personal policy of only using whole ingredients. That’s the best feeling!”

When first starting to craft skin care products, Priya made sure to bring her personal values to the things she made, such as eating good food that has been locally and sustainably grown. Though it can be chancy and tricky to work this way, Priya says the bonus is that every ingredient has an origin you can be proud of and is the best in its effect on the skin.

“Combine these ingredients in the right way and, just as with food, the result is deeply nourishing and is sensually pleasurable in a way that no synthetic can touch.” said Priya. “There’s a ton of trial and error, of course, but it’s so satisfying when I’m able to turn the vision I had into a full-bodied reality.”

Unable to chose just one must-have product for this winter, Priya pinned it down to two.

The Lavanilla Body Butter is great for after a shower to lock in moisture. Its buttery rich mixture of wild lavender and organic Tahitian vanilla makes it almost impossible to have dry, damaged skin. Organic mango butter, olive oil, and sunflower oil moisturizes the skin, reduces inflammation, and regenerates damaged cells.

The runner up product is the Herbal Lip Therapy. Priya suggests slathering on a coat at night and behold the healing, softening power! “I’ve made a lot of lip balm and am still experimenting with different formulas but nothing else seems to compare,” said Priya. Her natural and organic Herbal Lip Therapy comes in both stick and tin that are packed with ingredients like rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, and calendula - a flower plant that has anti-inflammatory, calming and soothing qualities. All these make an excellent balm for sensitive, environmentally damaged lips.

Intrigued to learn more?
Of course you are! That's why we're inviting her to talk to you personally about her products. Priya will have a table set up at Freedom on Saturday November 12^th from 2-5pm to answer any questions. She may even offer some exclusive samples of her new products - all made with only what Mother Nature gave us, of course. “I'll try to début a couple of new products for the very first time! I’m so excited to finally release the Face Cream I’ve been working on for months, and I should have my new, super-rich Nail & Cuticle Balsam as well!”

See you then!

November 2011 Newsletter

2011-11-03T12:56:00.000-04:00

To receive a higher resolution version and subscribe to our newsletter, please e-mail us at freedom.clothing[at]gmail.com.

From Toronto to Calgary in Three Days

2011-10-31T16:26:00.000-04:00

If someone told me a month ago that I will find myself on the road driving across the country, I would not have though it possible. But it did happen and I am so grateful and appreciative for the opportunity. A friend of mine that I have met through work many years ago has decided to move home to Alberta. Since she has just purchased a car, the only way to get there was on wheels, and who wants to drive alone. It really did not take long to convince me to join in for the fun and before I knew it the plans were confirmed and the return flight from Calgary booked.We left Toronto on a rainy Wednesday morning right on time to get stuck in the rush-hour traffic. Normally, this traffic situation would be stressing me out, but since were were already giddy and laughing hard, the time went by quickly, and one and a half hour later we found ourselves on the open road headed North.

The plan was to reach Thunder Bay before nightfall as, as soon as the sun goes down, the roads belong to the wild life and there is the danger of running into a deer or a moose. Needless to say, that plan was a bit ambitions and with sunset we landed in Wawa, which meant even more ours spent in the car the next day.We set out from Wawa at around 6:45 the next day with the goal of reaching Winnipeg. The road led us past beautiful lakes, forests and through Indian reserves with souvenir shops and trading posts at each major intersection. At one of those we acquired the little hedgehog trinket for the dashboard and named him Lil' Chief Algoma after the region where the trading post was located.

We reached Winnipeg at around 9PM, completely exhausted and dreading the next day's drive which was to take us through Manitoba and Saskatchewan since everyone kept warning us about the boring drive through the Prairies. Granted, it was flat and long, but beautiful nevertheless and worth every minute of the 11 hours that it took us to reach Alberta at sunset.

Our final destination was Canmore, just one hour West of Calgary. As soon as we entered Tara's new apartment, we were ready for bed. When we left the condo the next morning to go for breakfast and a hike in the Banff area I could not have expected better views. This was nature at its best for sure, lakes were reflecting snow covered peaks of the mountains surrounding us. The air was fresh and crisp and Elks were mingling with people at street intersections.

One last thing before my departure on Sunday was to check out the turquoise waters of Lake Louise. It was early morning and it had just started snowing so, unfortunately, turquoise was not meant to be. What was there instead was a beautifully calm lake with fog that has just started lifting revealing the steep cliffs of the Rockies

Back in Toronto, sitting in front of my computer, I can't but think of the natural wealth this county has to offer and am thankful to may dear friend that I got to share it with.

Slashpile Designs is turning 3!

2011-10-30T13:53:00.005-04:00

Join us at Freedom Clothing and help us celebrate another year of conversation-starting jewellery.

Join us for afternoon tea, coffee and snacks.
Come and take advantage of some great deals on unique and clever holiday gifts!

Hope to see you there!

Tara & Courtney
Slashpile Designs

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New at Freedom This Week

2011-10-17T13:38:00.005-04:00

It is only Monday friends, and we already have some new goodness to share with you. Over the weekend we got some new swanky furniture and and some paper mache boats to adorn your abodes. Come to the store to check them out first hand, you won't regret it.

Presenting: Leyre Arroyo Abarroa

2011-10-13T12:27:00.000-04:00

This month, we are proud to present a solo exhibition of works by Leyre Arroyo Abaroa!

October 13th - November 8th
Closing Reception: Friday, November 4th at 8pm

"Through the eyes of a foreigner that doesn't exactly share the same language and culture sometimes reality turns into something surreal and deformed" - Leyre Arroyo Abaroa

Leyre is a Spanish artist born in Madrid and currently living in Toronto. Out of her personal longing to understand and become accepted in her new surroundings, she observes everyday life to study the social behaviour and cultural setting around her. In her works, she depicts these scenes through her perspective with a strong Spanish influence, making ordinary life into something extraordinary.

Sneak peek at the upcoming exhibition.....

2011-10-04T19:15:00.004-04:00

Here's a short animation by our October artist, Leyre Arroyo Abaroa. Living Posters is an animated video of Russian posters, accompanied with music by Damon Albarn.
Enjoy!

Like what you see? Wait until you see her paintings - where she turns everyday life into a surreal experience. Coming to Bloorcourt on October 13th!

Can't wait that long? OK, fine, here's another animation.

Blast From the Past

2011-10-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

by Megan Jana

Fabricate is almost closing!

2011-09-30T10:59:00.002-04:00

Julie Voyce, handling the performance component of her piece with Sarah Ottewell at Meredith Keith Gallery

Interactive piece by Margot Keith, Hillary Predko and James Lourenco at Meredith Keith Gallery

We'd like to remind those of you who haven't had a chance to check out Fabricate, showing both at Meredith Keith Gallery and Freedom Clothing Collective. Tomorrow* is the official last day, and tonight** is the closing reception at Freedom. Come by!

*Meredith's gallery is located at 1695 Dundas St. W and her hours for today and tomorrow is 12 to 5 pm

** Party starts at 8 pm

Polychromatic Screen Printing Workshop by Lizz Aston

2011-09-27T17:11:00.000-04:00

We are hosting a new and exciting silkscreening workshop. One that allows for flexibility, a multitude of colours and a Sunday morning full of creative adventures!

Polychromatic screen printing combines both silkscreening and painting techniques to produce watercolour-like images on paper and cloth. By painting directly onto open mesh or exposed silk screens, polychromatic allows you to print multiple colours using a one-step process.

In this workshop students will learn to shoot images to screen and use the polychromatic process to create a series of one-off hand printed, silkscreen cards.

Sunday, October 16th at 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

$100 early bird registration (expires Sep 30)

E-mail us to register

About the Instructor

Lizz Aston is a graduate of the Textiles program at the School of Crafts and Design, Sheridan College and is currently in her second year as an artist-in-residence in the Craft Department at Harbourfront Centre.
Through her work, she focuses on making concept-based fibre art and sculpture that has been developed with regards to both traditional and contemporary textile processes. Her pieces were featured in Freedom’s Not Just Paper Planes exhibition and the current Fabricate exhibition.
www.lizzaston.ca

How Fabricate Came to Be

2011-09-16T12:59:00.001-04:00

A few months back, I caught the last discussion of Ontario Craft Council's CraftTalks series: Shifting Directions. Sitting on the panel were Melanie Egan (Head of Craft Department at Harbourfront Centre), Dorie Millerson (Chair of the OCADU Material Art & Design program), and Koen Vanderstukken (Head of Glass Studio at Sheridan). Jen Anisef of Toronto Craft Alert was moderating, who was really the reason I came.

Among many other topics pertinent to the contemporary craft practice, the panel discussed the blurring lines between art, craft and design.* This part resonated with me - people are always asking what Freedom is: a store? A gallery? An event space? A collective? A cooperative? What's the difference? Not to mention that most of our consignors wear other hats too. They dabble in so many interesting things which we believe contribute greatly to the variety of original items they create. I felt like this needed to be explored some more.

Sitting next to me at the lecture was printmaker Jen Kneulman of Freshly Printed. Right afterwards, I had a meeting with designer Caterina Mazzotta of Kali Clothing. Both became collaborators in this exhibition.

I had a series of "eureka" moments that night and the project organically came to be. I have to say, the excitement has not stopped since! It's been such a pleasure, an adventure full of surprises. I am very excited to celebrate this journey with Meredith Keith, the artists, and the rest of the Freedom crew at the opening reception tonight at Meredith Keith Gallery. Please join us! We would love to share this moment and hear what you think.

Marsya

Caterina Mazzotta installing the piece she collaborated on with Amanda Schoppel

FABRICATE
Sept 8th - Oct 1st
Opening Reception:
Friday, September 16th at 6 - 10 pm
Meredith Keith Gallery
1695 Dundas Street West

* The discussion is available on iTunes (itunesu.ocad.ca), select Guest Users Login and select the category Visiting Experts. Also check out Jen's report on the emerging modes of craft practice for the Ontario Arts Council.

Fabricate opens TODAY!

2011-09-08T12:21:00.003-04:00

Fabricate is now officially open to the public at our space and Meredith Keith Gallery!

But remember, opening party is happening Friday the 16th (aka not tomorrow) at Meredith's, with the closing party two Fridays after at Freedom (the 30th). Check three posts down for more details.

Graven Feather Studio & Gallery

2011-09-07T17:12:00.003-04:00

Check out what Jessica Bartram is now up to! Just when you think you can't be any more impressed, she teamed up with Erin Candela and Pam Lobb to set up a studio and gallery space: Graven Feather.

The Graven Feather studio is an open and accessible destination dedicated to fostering creative output and artistic exchange. Geared towards both artists and the art-loving public, this bright and cheery environment is at its root a functioning studio for it's members, as well as a workshop and gallery space.

Tonight, they are having an opening reception for their first exhibition! Their featured artist for this month is Sam Sueshi Miya.

Many of you know Sam as the charming and debonair older gentleman who seems to appear everywhere throughout Toronto's arts and culture scene, familiar with everyone and with a funny comment on it all. Despite his apparent age, Sam's youthful and mischievous perspective are clear and present with every word. And the same energy and zest are evident in his art as well. Come and see these magnificently colourful pieces, and share a good word with this much beloved artist.

SAM SUESHI MIYA
SEPTEMBER 1 - 30
Opening Celebration: Wednesday, September 7 at 7 - 9 pm
Graven Feather Gallery
906 Queen St. West (corner of Crawford)
BYOB

More info: http://www.gravenfeather.ca/#1918301/Featured-Artist-Sam-Sueshi-Miya

It's Wednesday! It's time for Crafted Spaces Radio!

2011-09-07T11:23:00.000-04:00

In a little over an hour (aka 1 pm), yet another great topic in the art of craft is going to be discussed LIVE on Crafted Spaces Radio.
This week's topic is Textile Design, specifically tie-dye and batik. As an Indonesian, I'm especially excited about the later!
Last week, Yvette-Michelle interviewed two of the wonderful artists featured in our Not Just Paper Planes exhibition, Lizz Aston and Nadia Tan to wrap up a series of episodes on paper as a creative medium.
Listen below for this episode and click here to join in on today's dialogue. Don't forget to check out the Crafted Spaces blog!

Fabricate, our September exhibition

2011-09-06T10:47:00.001-04:00

Fabricate is an exhibition that contextualizes art and design as mediums that are not necessarily distinguishable from one another. In a sense, both art forms are within the same framework or structure, within the same fabric.

The exhibition is a contribution to the contemporary dialogue between “art” and “design”. Many of today’s makers in general are finding it hard to define themselves in the traditional moulds: designer, artist, or craftsperson. Here, we showcase the possibilities of collaboration between the different genres and how this openness manifests in contemporary creative practice.

We paired up local fashion designers/fibre-artists/visual artists/craftspersons to create collaborative works.

The collaborators are: Lizz Aston (Not Just Paper Planes) & Jen Kneulman (Freshly Printed), Margot Keith, James Lourenco & Hillary Predko (WORN Fashion Journal), Caterina Mazzotta (Kali Clothing) & Amanda Schoppel (Awake & Dreaming), Sarah Ottewell (SLO) & Julie Voyce, and Rachael Speirs (Summer Solstice) & Joanna Schleimer.

And the collaboration doesn't stop there. We joined forces with Meredith Keith Gallery, where most of the pieces will be exhibited.

FABRICATE

Fri, Sept 8th - Sat, Oct 1st

Opening reception: Friday, Sept 16th at 6 pm

Meredith Keith Gallery, 1695 Dundas Street West

Hours: Wed - Sat, 12 - 5 pm

Closing reception: Friday, Sept 30th at 8 pm

Freedom Clothing Collective, 939 Bloor Street West
Hours: Every day, 12 - 7:30 pm

Apple cider, stilt-walkers, live music, and so much more!

2011-08-30T14:19:00.004-04:00

Come to City Cider at Spadina Museum to witness apples be picked, pressed, heated, and served – and then taste it for yourself! Not Far From The Tree is teaming up with Spadina Museum to make this a fun-filled afternoon for all.

Higher Ground will perform on stilts, live music will be provided by The Orchards (yes they’re called The Orchards can you believe it??) and Nathan Hiltz with vocal guest, YogaRocks will do yoga for kids, and there will even be a corn roast, orchard tours and so much more.

Sunday, September 18th at 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
In the orchard at Spadina Museum (285 Spadina Road)
Rain or shine! RSVP on Facebook here.

Not Far From The Tree is a not-for-profit environmental agency that harvests residential fruit trees. They ensure all of Toronto's trees are picked, eaten and shared! Learn more about them here and get involved. Also check out their tips on preserving apples here!!

p.s. I'll be making my way there right after our polychrome silk-screening workshop that should wrap up by 3 p.m. the latest.

End of Summer Sale

2011-08-24T13:58:00.002-04:00

It is sad to imagine that summer is ending and the recent chills at night are confirming the inevitable...

On a lighter and happier note:

!!!!!! SALE !!!!!!
sale tags have been put on most of the Summer merchandise

20 - 50% Off on all those those dresses, pants, skirts, and tops you’ve been eyeing.

We are a tiny but full to the brim and we need the room badly for all the Fall goodness that is already on the way!

The sale actually started yesterday cause Jelena was just too excited, so hurry up and make in down in time to get those pieces you’ve been thinking about.
Enjoy!
Yay!

Freedom Essentials for a Fabulously Awesome Beach Vacation

2011-08-19T07:12:00.006-04:00

I don't know about you, but Toronto summer just makes me want to fly away and swim in the ocean. So, I did: I went to a heavenly place called Turks and Caicos and swam with the fishes under me and the pelicans above me. It was absolutely magical.

Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Outside of the ocean, I had a little help from these Freedom items to make my vacation perfect:

1. A pocket from Sparrow Avenue - perfect size for all the essentials like car keys (you need a car to get around in Turks and Caicos), cash, Tylenol, lip balm, eye drops and contact lenses case, etc etc. The colour blends in with the sand so if you are ever worried about leaving your stuff unattended by the beach (not really a problem where I went), you can simply bury it a little bit (I would recommend to do so by a large permanent marking so that you can find it later..) and no one would notice.

2. Skin care! While proper sun protection is a definite must, there are other little things that are also much needed in tolerating the tropical sun. Priya's lavender face scrub makes my skin less oily throughout the day. The deet-free bug repellent really saved me during my journey through the caves in Middle Caicos. Silly me, I forgot to spray some on my face and so my forehead suffers while the rest of my body was safe and sound.

Daniel's Cafe, Middle Caicos, Turks and Caicos

3. Lyocell is a sustainable fibre made from cellulose found in wood pulp that has been harvested from tree farms. Not only that, it is extremely soft and light on your body. It was a blessing! Perfect for walks, and also to throw over your swimsuit. We have two designers working with lyocell: Kali Clothing has racerback tanks and tank dresses; Atelier B has spaghetti strap tops, v-neck tees and scoop neck blouses. I basically alternated between these tops and dresses throughout the trip.

With all these handy, I bet you'll have as smooth of a sail as I did. Bon voyage!

Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

p.s. Stay tuned for vacation report part two, all about the local artisans from the islands!

Bloorcourt Village festival

2011-08-11T18:49:00.008-04:00

A great collection of creative minds from all disciplines are coming to participate with a fantastic outdoor festival!

What do we know? Only that it's gonna be spectacular! But check out this site which will explain the happenings so much better, complete with a vendor list >> bloorcourt.com/arts-and-crafts-fair/marketplace

two flyers cause that's how good it's gonna be!

After you've checked out all there is to see at the festival and need to walk off some of the burgers or macaroon ice-cream sandwiches take a tree tour around the neighbourhood. I stumbled on this precious page of Toronto Tree Tours yesterday and was so happy to hear about it! "The Toronto Tree Tours tell the stories of the urban forest and the people and places it sustains."
Check out this great site about Toronto's heritage via it's trees! It's so adorable.... where do i sign up? Here >> treetours.to/dovercourt-park

The Six Swans by Jessica Del Sole

2011-08-08T07:50:00.000-04:00

Six graceful, vibrant swans have been perching our the window space for a week now. Artist Jessica Del Sole was inspired by the Brothers Grimm's Fairy Tale, The Six Swans.

In the story, six brothers are turned into swans by their hateful step-mother. Their sister Syndee is the only person who can save them. In order to do this, she must make six sweaters out of starwort in a span of six years, during which she is not allowed to laugh or talk. These sweaters will then turn the brothers back into humans. She finished all five, and the last remained without a sleeve. All of the brothers except flew through the sweaters and was turned back into humans, with the exception of the youngest of them, whose arm remained that of a swan.

Jessica Del Sole has a wide range of experience studying and practising visual art. While completing her Undergraduate Degree at University of Toronto she studied Art History focusing on Illuminated Manuscripts of the Middle Ages. She took her studies to Barcelona, Spain, where she was able to not only study the vast array of artists that worked in the city but also develop on her own skills as a visual artist. She continued her studies in the Arts and took painting and drawing courses at York University. From there she enrolled in Seneca College's Independent Illustration Program where she was able to integrate her skills as a traditional fine artist with modern-day skills. Jessica has recently completed her Bachelor of Education from OISE/UofT.

Happy Long Weekend!

2011-07-29T18:26:00.004-04:00

It's officially after work, which means you are officially starting your great long weekend. But don't just spend it sitting there, live this weekend CRE-ATIV-ELY!

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared from This Is It on Vimeo.

Now that you're ready to use your minds to have a good time (safely, please), here's a few things to get you inspired:

1. Laura Fedynyszyn's solo exhibition, Souvenir of Home, is closing on Monday! This collection of lino prints of beautifully illustrated Canadian wildlife is a whole lot friendlier than the average mounted animal heads. No animals were hurt in the production of these delicate (they're printed on antique maps and book pages), but strong pieces.

2. Look around you! What do you have in your home that is no longer living up to its original utilitarian purpose? Don't let it just hide away, take a second look and appreciate its hidden charm. Got some old plates that you no longer use? Turn it into a clock! Here's how. (p.s. there's a long list of DIY projects for you to do in this side-blog of ours)

3. Be inspired by books! Here's what we are currently reading:
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein - a must read if you love modern art, specifically early 1900s, and/or the new Woody Allen movie Midnight in Paris. (I have yet to watch it, but people who see me reading this book always tell me to go see it.)
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert - Pick up this book to help you laugh, possibly cry and figure out why you can't remember the past properly.Very smart, very shocking, and of course, hilarious!!!
How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer - Karen has been tweeting some great quotes from this entertaining book that analyzes our decision making process from both neuroscience and real-life point of views. This book will help you understand YOU, and why you do and choose to do what you do - from crossing the street to landing a 747 without any hydraulics!

4. Want more ideas? Check out these awesome blogs that always get us inspired: Kitchenisms, Little Projectiles (by one of our contributors/artists/consignors, Nadia Tan), Poppytalk.
Or, be inspired by these wonderfully passionate and talented people!

5. Not satisfied? Come by our brick-and-mortar (939 Bloor St. West)! We are open all weekend long, from noon to 7:30 pm.

Have a great weekend!!!

Welcoming Kempton Jones!

2011-07-22T10:05:00.000-04:00

Kempton Jones' designer Michelle Matsui loves all things fabric and vintage. She has finally found an outlet for all the fabric stashes in her house. Owlies of Ontario are plush art owls that are named after small towns and cities that provoke fond memories for her or just sound cool. Some of the names are Varna, Malachi and Cutler! Each one is hand made with unique personalities and expressions.

During the day you will find her managing a graphic design studio. her creative life starts at 9pm, sometimes 8 on a good day.

Find her on facebook and find out more about her creative life on kemptonjones.blogspot.com
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Designer spotlight: Emily Gill

2011-07-18T09:40:00.005-04:00

"Hello! I am Emily Gill, designer, goldsmith and jewellery instructor. I make botanical inspired jewellery in bright colours, using copper sheet metal and vitreous enamel, which I became enamored with several years ago while attending university! I cut out each brooch, earring or pendant one at a time with a jeweller’s saw, the teeniest blade you’ve ever seen. I use copper as a base for bright enamels, which are a glass powder melted onto a metal surface. I do this in an electric kiln, which fires the pieces at about 1500 degrees F. Needless to say, it gets pretty hot in my studio, but the results are well worth it!

I have been working as a goldsmith and living in Toronto for just over two years now, after completing my BFA in Jewellery and Metalsmithing at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax. I use many processes of traditional goldsmithing: fabrication and soldering, piercing, drilling, sawing, lost wax casting, and I also form sheet copper into nice pillowy shapes using a hydraulic press I designed and built myself! You could say I love using tools, almost just as much as jewellery itself. I have been building my studio space in the West End from scratch for the last few months, and it’s amazing what you can do with free scrap wood and a jigsaw. It’s all part of the fun process that brings the jewellery to you!

After wrapping up the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition last week at City Hall, I am very excited to be taking a two week trip to Quebec to Camp Ouareau, north of Montreal where I am from. It is a residential camp for girls aged 8-15 that I attended as a camper and CIT for 6 years and worked on staff as head of crafts and program director for 6 years. I’m not going to be teaching sailing anymore (although I’m sure I’ll squeeze a few boat rides in while I’m there!) This year, after a 5 year hiatus, will be bringing my professional skills as a jeweler and enamellist to the teenagers at camp, as part of their new and improved integrated crafts program!

Upon my return, look for me at a few fall shows: The Queen West Art Crawl in Trinity Bellwoods for starters, all listed on my website emilygill.ca

The nice ladies Freedom Clothing Collective have been carrying my jewellery since last Holiday season 2010, and it has been a great experience and very important to me to sell in a local shop that is right in my neighbourhood. I hope to see you when I bring enameling workshops and gift making classes to Freedom for the fall and holiday season….but let’s wait until this heat wave passes over Toronto before firing up the electric kiln!

Until the fall, enjoy the rest of your summer, and pop into the shop to check out my new Chunky Enamel rings (now in gold colours and handpainted details), Fly Away Flower Studs and Dangles and Bold Flower Brooches.

: ) Emily Gill
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Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

2011-07-08T14:26:00.002-04:00

This weekend (July 8th - 10th) marks the 50th year of the annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Canada’s largest juried outdoor art exhibition. Make sure you check out the following booths:

Baba Yaga by Rachael Speirs

Amanda McCavour (Toronto-based fibre artist to be participating in our Fabricate exhibition in September) -- Booth 89, yellow.

Emily Gill (Jewellery artist who is also a consignor at Freedom) - Booth 47, yellow.

Mark Stebbins (Last year's TOAE Best In Show winner) - Booth 113, yellow.

Rachael Speirs (self-taught mixed-media artist who collaborated with Kathryn Rebecca in our Summer Solstice exhibition) - Booth 125, yellow.

Soyeon Kim (Illustrator whose 3D works have been installed in our window space after I fell in love with them at last year's TOAE) - Booth 293, blue.

Come, follow me by Soyeon Kim

An Honorary Mention:

Last but not least, Paola Savasta, who participated in last December's Paperback Nobodies No More fundraiser exhibition, is the 2011 recipient of the William Huffman Award for Excellence in Studio Practice. Savasta will present a new body of work in a solo exhibition entitled “Couches for the Liberated” at KWT Contemporary. Congratulations, Paola!

July Exhibition: Souvenir of Home

2011-07-05T10:12:00.002-04:00

Freedom CC is proud to present:

Souvenir of Home

By Laura Fedynyszyn

July 8^th – Aug 1^st

Opening Reception: Friday, July 8^th at 8 pm

It's obvious that Freedom CC loves Canada. We love Canadians, Canadian-made goods, we really are here first and foremost to cheer for Canada. It's only natural that one week after Canada Day, we choose to showcase a fantastic Canadian printmaker and painter who has just developed a whole series dedicated to Canadian wildlife.

In this series Souvenir of Home, Laura - a vegetarian - created life-sized lino prints of mounted animals on decorative papers and old maps to conjure up romantic images of an unknown and untamed Canadian wilderness. By juxtaposing the gruesome images of dead animals onto richly toned papers these works attempt to capture her feelings of both revulsion and obsession with taxidermy.

Come join us at the opening reception and meet Laura!

Summer 2011: A Local Romance

2011-07-04T17:18:00.008-04:00

FREEDOM CLOTHING - Summer 2011 from Freedom Clothing Collective on Vimeo.

Please welcome Freedom’s first promo video. We’ve been wanting to create a video for some time now that would somehow encapsulate what Freedom is and show our love for what we do. This short film A Local Romance, we believe, achieves that.

Big hugs and thanks to the amazing crew that took part in the making of this film....

Nadia Tan (Filmographer) a woman with super talent spread across a myriad of disciplines, her paper art can be seen at last month's Not Just Paper Planes exhibition (pictured above).

Patricia and Mark (models) are not only the loveliest of couples, but they are also the photographers and artists behind Polygun Collective. Patricia had a solo show of her In Between Dreams series (pictured above) at Freedom a few months back and many of her pieces can be seen and purchased via the Freedom Market.

Marsya Maharani (stylist & photographer) was the key link in making this shoot happen. Behind the scenes is a crazy, time consuming job, but she managed it with the finesse and charm of a ….. hahaha I want to write princess but not sure if that is quite right... well you know what I mean!! You rock M!

And of course, big thank you to the multitude of Canadian designers and artists that we represent. This short film is heavenly because of you! We are so very lucky to know such wonderful people!

The list of great people whose works are featured in the film, and in no particular order, cause we’re random like that:
Atelier-B (supplying awesome stylish clothing to us for over two years), Francesca Tallone (the wonderful pic of Atelier-b jumpsuit), Rae Designs (creating such wonderful, affordable jewelry designs, and being a great friend), Betina Lou (poshing up the store with the cutest little numbers), Loft-604 (menswear at it’s finest and crispest), Rachel (the sweetest Urban Farm Girl with pillows that flew off our shelves right after the shoot), Hieng Tang (monsters!!!! Glow in the dark tees? amazing), Phresh Threads (great up-cycling and superb eco friendly fabrics), Kali Clothing (a trooper with an undeniably cool eco style that has been a great friend for a great many years), Larque by Jason (too-cute ear buds and necklaces), Jessica Bartram (talent that knows no boundaries, and they just keep coming), Tryst by Kerry (some classically elegant designs), Jen & Lauren of Freshly Printed (did you see the awesome post about their walnut dyes?), Shopify (for giving us such great pointers and help, Ben & Caroline), Slo (the most local of designers ‘right down the street!’ and for the softest of cuddly blankets... and mittens), Kathryn Rebecca (for the style, grace and richness of each piece, so delicately crafted), Petal Pop (for great prints on super cool book pages), Koocoo Carrillo (one of Freedom’s own, fabulous fashion designer and a friend extraordinaire), and Poppyseed Creative Living (another Freedom gal with furniture that looks like candy).

Still haven't had enough of the video? Lucky for you, you can drool over and/or purchase the featured items right here and right now via our New and Improved Online Market!! With detailed photos of each piece and everything!

Not Just Paper Planes - Lizz Aston

2011-06-30T17:16:00.004-04:00

Have you been by to check out our Not Just Paper Planes exhibition? Held in conjunction with The Japanese Paper Place's Living with Washi: Japanese Paper Inspiring Daily Life, it features wonderful treasures made from Japanese paper - a renewable and strong material full of possibilities.

The first three works from the left are by Lizz Aston, a Toronto-based textile artist and craftperson. Here is her extended statement on each piece:

PAPER BARK GROUPINGS

Details of Paper Bark Groupings, Lizz Aston, 2010, $300 and $500.

Inspired by the dynamic symmetries and patterns found in nature, Paper Bark Grouping explores the spontaneity of materials and processes. Working primarily in paper, I am interested in examining the composition, repetition and fragility found in naturally occurring formations. Through my work I am interested in experimenting with process and combining the results to create groupings that read as a whole. Paper is manipulated, bunched, starched, burned and pieced back together in an effort to take advantage of the material, making it appear to be something else; a dialogue is created.

FROM RAGS TO RICHES

Detail of From Rags to Riches, Lizz Aston, 2010.

Taking cue from historical craft practices such as the art of spinning shifu (paper-thread), and the gathering of discard material to make Rag rugs or Clootie mats; I am interested in combining each of these processes as I work to re-define the values we apply to common craft materials as well as domestic craft objects.

Both shifu and rag rug-making developed as practices once born out of necessity, where coarse paper thread would be woven into cloth for work clothes and other household items, while the rags of old clothes were coveted for their reuse-ability, being knotted back together in the form of much needed objects.

From rags to riches incorporate the use of paper ‘rag’ as it is laboriously hand-spun and crocheted into a delicate network of threads that make up the rag rug.

Through a sophisticated use of process and materials, the once ‘ragged’ and utilitarian object will be rendered precious and unusable, as emphasis is placed on re-evaluating the value of the materials and object at hand. Through my practice, I am interested in celebrating craft for love as means to continue to tap into the meaningful, intuitive and historical practices that employ the use of my hands.

From Rags to Riches is unfortunately not for sale, but if you wish to get a little taste of it, Lizz also makes these wonderful brooches. They are on sale for $55 for the duration of the exhibition, so get them fast as the exhibition closes on July 4th - that's in FOUR days!

To find out more about Lizz, you can visit her website here. Her upcoming exhibitions include Love Lace at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum - find out more about it here.

Lizz is also teaching an exciting workshop on Polychromatic Screen Printing on Saturday, July 23rd at Freedom! Keep checking our blog for details.

Not Just Paper Planes has been receiving an outstanding amount of Oooh's and Aaaah's so please make sure you make it down here this weekend. We are open from noon to 7:30 pm, including Canada Day!

UpCycled & Re-Styled

2011-06-20T09:32:00.009-04:00

Please note that this Series has moved to it's own separate page
located here >> upcycled-restyled.blogspot.com

or click on the UpCycled-ReStyled tab on the navigation bar above

The adventures of two creatives with different backgrounds, different techniques and totally different styles coming together to re-purpose old unloved goods and make them fabulous and cherished once again.

The designer behind PoppySeedliving (Jelena) and KooCoo Carrillo (Karen) are teaming up to share ideas, inspirations and ‘lessons learned’ about their industry in this new collaboration series called Up-Cycled & Re-Styled. What will happen when Poppyseed’s colour theory and “let me get my hands dirty” approach mingle with Koocoo’s “I can fix it” mentality and organic drawing style?

First on the chopping block: Half Moon Hall Table. Part 1
We decided to start off with a small project to get our bearings and give us some ‘starting off’ ease. Here is the lovely BEFORE picture of our latest acquisition.
Problems that need fixing: wobbly legs, huge crack on the table top, and very dirty stain

Photos from the opening night of Not Just Paper Planes

2011-06-16T16:48:00.007-04:00

Thank you everyone who showed their support at our opening night for Not Just Paper Planes. It was a delightful night!

For those of you who missed it, don't worry! You have until July 4th to see the fantastic pieces by Lizz Aston, Jessica Bartram, Carolanne Graham, Nadia Tan and our very own Karen Carrillo and Jelena Pticek.

Special thanks to Lisa Conway & co. of L CON for performing for us. (For those of you who would like to be on their mailing list, just let us know.) Here's a clip of their magical set...

See you next time!

YARDSALE!! SAT June 18th starts at 9am

2011-06-15T09:58:00.000-04:00

something for you, something for a friend

ATTENTION all bargain hunters!! No, our yard is not for sale...but some great things are! Sail by (EARLY!) to find a treasure, and catch up on all our other exciting upcoming events while you are here. Be sure to bring some bags to carry your goods home!

and yes of course you can browse through the store as well :)

June Newsletter

2011-06-09T14:14:00.001-04:00

Click on image to view larger more readable version
then click on it again to magnify even more :)

a larger version of Must Haves

Not Just Paper Planes

2011-06-06T18:32:00.008-04:00

NOT JUST PAPER PLANES
June 10 – July 4
Opening reception: Friday, June 10 at 8 pm; Live music by L CON at 9:30 pm

Participating artists:
Lizz Aston, Jessica Bartram, Karen Carrillo, Carolanne Graham, Jelena Pticek, and Nadia Tan

Freedom is taking part in the Living with Washi: Japanese Paper Inspiring Daily Life - a celebration of the art of Japanese paper by The Japanese Paper Place.

We invited various artists and designers to create using washi to employ the versatility and strength of this sustainable material. The result is a collection of everything from wearable pieces to sculptural objects, blurring the boundaries between art and craft, paper and fabric.

Be part of the facebook movement here.

Welcome, relatively, New Freedom Designer >> Foundlings

2011-05-20T10:56:00.004-04:00

Foundlings is a treasure trove of unique vintage inspired designs specially
handcrafted with the trend-setting green shopper in mind.

"I began my fashion journey 10 years ago after completing my studies in Creative Fashion Design at George Brown College in Toronto. I got my start in the costume design world as a sewer for Mirvish Production's “Mamma Mia” and went on to work as a pattern cutter for a local designer. In 2000, my papier mache Archie comics dress and stole made from gutted teddy bears was selected as a finalist in the Wearable Art category at the REVAMP fashion show, hosted by the Recycling Council of Ontario. It was here that my interest in re-purposing materials began. In February 2010, I officially launched my own line of vintage inspired women's clothing, Foundlings. Many pieces in the collection are crafted from vintage and upcycled fabrics and supplies." writes Hannah Richardson.

The Foundlings collection is available at Freedom Clothing Collective
and Mari Cla Ro in Toronto, as well as RareFunk in Kitchener.

www.foundlingsvintage.com

Please Welcome New Freedom Designer >> Parce Que...

2011-05-19T14:18:00.003-04:00

‘Dress up your words’

Fabric Cards, Made in Québec

Parce que... dresses up your words by marrying textiles and papers to give your thoughts durability and texturising them to last long in the hearts of those you offer them to. Each greeting card is unique, being made from different vintage fabrics, ribbons and recycled buttons. Parce que... (because) your words are so unique, they deserve to be inked, shared and treasured.

In the era of e-mails, virtual friends and digitized words, where so many things can be so easily deleted, or publicly forwarded, nothing can compete with beholding in our hands familiar
handwriting on a delicate card thoughtfully chosen and sweet words to be kept as a reminder of true
human warmth we all need.

KONNYAKU ~ a craft tool worth eating

2011-05-16T12:11:00.002-04:00

Konnyaku is a traditional Japanese jelly-like health food made from a kind of potato (Devil's Tongue root) and calcium hydroxide extracted from eggshells. The 'Konnyaku potato' is native to Indonesia and is a kind of herbaceous perennial plant. Konnyaku is 97% water and 3% fibre (with some useful minerals mixed in) and acts like a "broom for the stomach" when eaten, as in, it sweeps your insides clean! It's proven to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and help you loose weight.

Aside from it's many health benefits, Konnyaku also mixes wonderfully with paper to make it more resilient and malleable. It's very simple to use: mix into a milky paste, brush on and that's that! The paper becomes resilient so that you can crinkle it, weave it, sew it ... you name it!

These earrings (above) will survive rain or being crumpled or squished.

*please remember that these are pieces of jewelry and are not indestructible*

Freedom CC Gallery has a wonderful 'all things paper' exhibition running through mid June to Mid July make sure to come visit all the wonderful creations made from paper! >> freedomccgallery.wordpress.com

for exact instructions on preperation or to buy some Konnyaku, go to or email >> www.japanesepaperplace.com

another great blog post about Konnyaku >> riverlark.blogspot.com

Two of FreedomCC's fantastical paper artists >> www.lizzaston.com and www.tanialove.com

Freedom hearts our customers

2011-05-10T21:54:00.011-04:00

When we hear our friends who work retail tell us stories of the downside of this industry, more often than not they involve the difficulties of customer service. Lucky for us, our customers always seem so friendly and we keep meeting such interesting characters!

At the end of a good day, we usually end up with a stack of contact info of customers who would like to hear back from us - whether it be about a Freedom garment that they love but would like in other colours (oh yes we often do custom orders! Why wouldn't we take advantage of the fact that most of our designers live just a subway ride away?) or just to keep up with the happenings at our space. This makes us feel loved and supported, and we just want to make sure that our customers feel loved too!

Here are a couple girls that came by over the past few days that for sure deserve a good spotlight.

Yulia (pictured above, right) is a contemporary art enthusiast who stopped by to pick up tickets to WORN Fashion Journal's issue release party, Fancy Pants Vintage Dance, that happened last Saturday night. Those cute shorts are obviously her fancy pants and I did so witness the enthusiasm of her vintage dancing that night -- all to support independent publication, of course.

Natalie lives in Miami but is currently back in the summer to utilize her advertising background for the benefit of her brothers new business on Bathurst & Bloor. She appreciates the power of strong accessories (see awesome shoes, please) and settled on our harmonica necklace.

What did I tell you - don't we just get such awesome customers?!

Mother's Day

2011-05-07T17:23:00.006-04:00

We are open until 8.30 pm on Saturday, May 7th so you can grab some one-of-a-kind presents for Mother's Day!

Call for Submission

2011-05-05T13:10:00.000-04:00

We have three upcoming group exhibitions and are currently seeking submissions.

1. June exhibition: Living with Washi
WHAT: Freedom is teaming up with The Japanese Paper Place in an exhibition
featuring both artwork and wearable objects made from the Japanese paper, washi.
WHO: open to artists, designers, crafters, and makers of things in general!
WHEN: deadline to apply is May 15, 2011

2. August exhibition: Prints
WHAT: It’s the highly anticipated annual print show!
WHO: All printmakers are welcome to submit!
WHEN: deadline to apply is June 15, 2011

3. September exhibition: Fibre-based art
WHAT: An extensive multi-venue exhibition that blurs the line between design, art, craft and other such labels by exploring the possible collaborations using the versatile medium of textile.
WHO: We invite artists, designers, and craftpeoples that have in their own way master textile-based materials.
WHEN: deadline to apply is May 15, 2011

How to submit?
Send us an e-mail to arts[dot]freedomcc[at]gmail[dot]com with “SUBMISSION” and the name of the exhibition on the subject line. Include jpgs of the works that you would like to submit, a list of titles, dimensions and prices for these works and a short bio and/or CV.

May Newsletter

2011-05-05T12:08:00.008-04:00

If you click on the image and then click again to magnify it - you can read it quite easily! :)

May Exhibition: Summer Solstice

2011-05-02T13:17:00.000-04:00

Two different forms of art are coming together in Freedom CC’s May exhibition, sharing a connection through a longing for the clouds, daisies, and lilypads of the bright summer landscapes! Join us at the opening reception where we hopefully will be able to celebrate in our warm and open backyard.
Kathryn Rebecca is a jewelry artist whose pieces are inspired by nature and personal experience with a vintage undertone. Rachael Speirs is a visual artist whose multi-media works depict scenes inspired by her experiences but further illustrated in a world without rules, boundaries, or limitations.

SUMMER SOLSTICE
Kathryn Rebecca & Rachael Speirs
May 6th – June 5th
Opening reception: Friday, May 6th at 8 pm

Art Market at 99 Sudbury

2011-04-29T19:03:00.002-04:00

On Sunday May 1st, us little piggies are going to Art Market at 99 Sudbury.

From 10 am - 4pm we will be there selling goods brought from our home on 939 Bloor St - a mix of jewelry, accessories, home fashions and more will be available. Of course, we will be in good company, amongst a ton of other local artists and vendors selling things from cereal to fine art. Have breakfast while you browse, and shop until you drop. It will be the perfect Sunday: with a cherry on top!

Admission is FREE. For more info visit 99sudbury.ca

“like” them on Facebook: 99 Sudbury.

Rug Workshop on May 1st @ 1pm

2011-04-25T20:03:00.004-04:00

Click on picture to see larger version

email us >> freedom.clothing

or call us >> 416 530 9946

if you have any more questions :)

FAT

2011-04-24T18:03:00.002-04:00

Starts this Tues. Wednesday the 27th our very own Kali Clothing will be showing at 7:15pm

Electric Fashion Installed on Solar Installer

2011-04-20T13:04:00.006-04:00

Remember our friendly solar panel vendor neighbors from the National Home Show? Well, the destiny intended for Freedom and InPhase Power Inc. to reunite this past weekend at the Green Living Show. Not only was it great to see them but it was also fun to learn that our two puppets are bringing tons of walk ins into their office.

"Solar Peter" was looking for a way to add some spice to otherwise long trade show hours, and who can offer better spice than Freedom CC? This time it came in the form of a blue and grey striped onesie by Muttonhead Collective. Peter didn't hesitate to put it on and model it for us and the curious yet entertained show audience. He did it so well in fact, that we immediately got a ton of questions about the product and the brand.

In conclusion, we would like to thank Peter and his team and are looking forward to sharing show space with them in the future.

Green Living Show

2011-04-16T17:07:00.003-04:00

Freedom_CC is at the Green Living Show booth #118 down at the Direct Energy Centre Exhibition place this weekend - April 15,16 & 17.

Our booth, we believe, is our best effort and setup to date. Thanks in large part to Poppyseedliving - to die for furniture and home decor items, Rae designs - stunning accessories and gift sets, Kali Clothing - Lyocell at it's absolute finest, Muttonhead Collective - a collective energy that captures the best in unisex garments and all the rest of our lovely designers.

So we didn't quite get the media coverage we hoped for but we thought we'd share the images we took with you anyway! It was a great last min effort, very entertaining, and we would love to give a shout out to Claire (our wicked photographer) and Kyla (our stunning model) for jumping to our aid VERY last min.
Let us know what you think!

!!!! WINNER !!!!

2011-04-16T16:52:00.000-04:00

The exquisite Cassandra is the winner of our contest for the Green Living Show tickets!

Check out her lovely designs here >> ilovetweek.ca

Not only is she super skilled at reconfiguring old ties but in this picture she shows us her top of the line balancing act! Congrat Cassandra for the win and the skills :)

Win two tickets to the Green Living Show!!

2011-04-09T22:12:00.002-04:00

As you've heard from our beautiful April newsletter, we are going to be at the Green Living Show this weekend!

Are you a proud Freedom customer? You can win two tickets to the Green Living Show if you share with us and our readers how much you LOVE your recent purchase at Freedom via our Facebook page or Twitter -- mentioning us in your tweet and the hashtag #greenlivingshow of course!

Want some extra points?
- +5 for posting a photo of you with your Freedom item!
- +1 if you post on both twitter and facebook
- +1 for each time your tweet is retweeted

We have two sets of tickets available! They will be given out to whoever has the most points by Friday, April 15th at midnight!

Go on, make some virtual noise!

April exhibition: Characters

2011-04-06T22:54:00.004-04:00

Exhibiting artists: Darcy Allan, Jessica Bartram, Erin Candela, Trent Hunter, Ehsan Kiabakhsh, So Yeon Kim, Christie Lau, Colleen McKeown, and Naz Rahbar.

April 8th – May 3rd

Opening Reception:
Friday, April 8th at 8 pm
Live music by Jason Poisson at 8.30 pm

“Whether it is someone I know, sleeping in front of me or a stranger before me on the train, I sometimes see characters I feel the urge to capture.” - Naz Rahbar

This exhibition is a collection of visual documentations of human and animal personalities that together illustrate the journey we undertake to discover ourselves. These artists contextualize both real and imagined personalities within identities of other species, reactions to environmental factors, archetypal narratives, and surrounding landscapes. Just like how we attain meaning through establishing context, the works of these artists seek meaning in personal identity in their relation to outside factors.

Repost from Gallery blog.

April Newsletter

2011-04-05T12:16:00.002-04:00

AMANDALEWKEE

2011-04-04T15:02:00.005-04:00

Of all the runways I had a chance to attend at LG Fashion Week, it seems quite fitting that the only one I could see was Amanda Lew Kee on Friday April 1st. Sitting in the “reserved media” section, and representing Freedom Clothing Collective, an organization that thrives on creative innovation, environmental and social responsibility was a good match for Lew Kee’s runway. Although I’m not certain on the sustainability of her collection, one thing was certain - she had a story to tell about the many environmental issues our planet seems to be facing everyday. Lew Kee’s designs for the most part were black fabrics, from shear to velvet, and fun gold zippers. She used other fabrics to represent oil, fire, and water- elements which have caused and continue to cause great problems all around the globe. It was a great opportunity to see Lew Kee’s vision, and promising that such an admired young designer would want to focus her viewers attention on more than just clothing.

To top off the night, Kellog’s was present, handing out pretty red bags of Special K cereal, and other treats, to the many fans of fashion week. Now, each morning as I eat my cereal, I think about Amanda Lew Kee’s collection and will always remember my very first runway show at Toronto Fashion Week as “special K”. “Special” for the experience; vision; and cereal, and, “K” for Kee...and of course, cereal.

- by Kyla and Darci

Photos from Polygun opening

2011-04-04T13:25:00.000-04:00

The opening celebration for In Between Dreams by the lovely Patricia and Mark of Polygun Collective was a blast. Thanks to everyone who showed their support!!
Prints from the In Between Dreams series are still available for purchase via our online store.

For more, please visit our flickr page...here.

Polygun Mini Movie

2011-03-19T14:09:00.002-04:00

Big thanks to Ryan for the video - you're amazing!

Thank you for everyone who came to the opening for Patricia Zimecki's photography exhibition, In Between Dreams.
Here's a little something to sum up the awesomeness that happened last Friday - an interview with Polygun and a clip of Gentlemen...The King performing!

In Between Dreams runs until April 5, be sure to check it out if you haven't already!
To learn more about the exhibition, click here. To learn more about Polygun Collective, click here.

March Newsletter

2011-03-19T14:03:00.002-04:00

National Home Show Commentary

2011-03-19T13:48:00.002-04:00

Friday February 18th was our first taste of spring. The sun was shining, and winter coats were a rare sight. It also marked Freedom Clothing Collectives first day at the Toronto National Home Show. Unfortunately, spring decided that one day of warm fresh weather was enough for Toronto citizens. Luckily, for Freedom CC however, the Home Show was planned to last, and browsers and shoppers alike are able to feel the warmth and freshness of it’s booth until February 27th.

The first day at the National Home Show marked a first of many things for me: my first time to officially represent a fantastic collection of work by local artists and designers. My first time handing out flyers for a booth that so many artists worked so hard at making perfect. The first time I was asked (many times over actually) if I took part in making all the neat products Freedom’s booth had to offer, and the first time I ever felt so guilty about not learning how to properly knit, crochet, or sew. As easy as it would have been to pretend that beautiful quilt was hand sewn by me, it was just as rewarding to hear the compliments and praises of passers by, about how talented these individuals are.
As part of the LiveGreen Toronto initiative, Freedom’s sweet little booth holds the wow factor amongst its super friendly neighbors: the solar panels. Freedom CC got to know so much about solar panels in fact, that an idea was brewed to crochet solar panel covers.

Although the day was somewhat quiet, I learned so much. I experienced Freedom Clothing Collectives pride and spirit in its artists, and I also learned why its so easy to love it. In the corner of a rather uniformed row of booths, stands a bright, unique, strong, and supportive collaboration of ideas that are hard to come by. Freedom Clothing Collective’s booth may take an extra minute to find, but all you have to do is follow the green teal carpet.
Like anything worth while in life, when you see it, you will be glad you took those extra few steps to visit. Whether it be hand painted furniture for yourself; a magnetic chalkboard for your child; a bar of soap for bathtime; a pillow for your head; a tea towel for your party; a wallet for your purse; a portrait of Petite Pete to keep you company; a toy for your favorite pet; or anything else that Freedom CC is showcasing, you will be happy you bought it.
You will be happier that you found it.
And, you will be even happier knowing you are supporting someone that worked so hard tomake you happy.

-Kyla

In Between Dreams by Patricia Zimecki

2011-03-01T13:36:00.000-05:00

Polygun Collective presents
In Between Dreams by Patricia Zimecki
March 11 – April 5

Opening Reception:
Friday, March 11 at 8 pm
Live music by Gentlemen… The King at 9 pm

Freedom CC Gallery is proud to announce an exhibition of photographs by Patricia Zimecki.

In her first solo photography exhibition, In Between Dreams is a visual portrayal of Patricia’s view of the world as a space between waking life and the dream state. In Between Dreams is a reversion to the pure art of photo manipulation.
Each photograph is a double-exposure taken on a 35mm film camera. The results are a cross between the ordinary and the surreal, the fleeting and the fixed, and the impermanence of time.

About Patricia Patricia Zimecki has been working in the field of photography for over 5 years. Her work is predominantly analog-based. Her world travels are a primary influence on her work as well as a strong fascination with the subconscious mind.
About Polygun Polygun is an artist collective based out of the Junction in Toronto. It was founded by Mark Di Giovanni and Patricia Zimecki in 2010. Polygun is actively creating in various mediums, including photography, poster & screen prints and audio/visual works.

Window Installation by So Yeon Kim

2011-01-26T13:49:00.000-05:00

Check out our new window display by So Yeon Kim!

So Yeon Kim

Come, follow me, 2010

Born in South Korea, So Yeon Kim moved to Canada to study Visual Arts when she was fourteen. She is a continuing BFA student of York University, majoring in the Visual Arts and Concurrent Education program for an intermediate senior teaching degree. Though her strength is in illustration, So Yeon Kim hopes to achieve illustration qualities in various media to bring two dimensional drawing into three dimensional spaces.
You have to see it up close and from every angle. So, come by fast, she's only staying for a few more days!

Imagine this...

2011-01-24T13:43:00.000-05:00

Here's what's gonna be going on at Freedom tomorrow night:
1. A relaxing night serenaded by this...

2. Here's another one, a downloadable one: East.
3. Oh and this...

It will be a whole new kind of winter. A kind you'll like. A lot!

JACK DYLAN: An exhibition of posters

Feb 11 - Mar 10
Join us at the opening party on Friday, Feb 11 at 8 pm
The Weather Station live at 10 pm, free as always.

Jack Dylan is a Canadian illustrator from Stratford, Ontario who now lives in Toronto. After studying painting and Sculpture, he began work as a poster artist in the Montreal music community where he gained notoriety for his distinctive work. He now specializes in editorial design and is a frequent contributor to publication such as The Globe & Mail, Toronto Life, and The Walrus.

Freshly Printed: 99% organic and entirely non-toxic linens

2010-01-05T12:14:00.000-05:00

My name is Jen Kneulman and together with my best friend and business partner Lauren Hunter, we are Freshly Printed, a Toronto-based print company producing kitchen textiles and soon to be table linens. We met during our design education at OCADU and decided to unite in 2009 because of our similar style and concern for the negative effects that many textile processes have on the environment.

During school, Lauren and I did a joint research project on printing with natural dyes, which is a process that became more or less obsolete after the mid 1800’s, with the advent of synthetic dyes. Because this process is no longer commonplace, there is very little technical information to be found. Lauren and I experimented and came up with our own way of doing it using modern day thickeners and application processes.

The term “natural dye” can be deceiving; although the dyestuff itself is extracted from a natural source, to adhere it to fabric it requires something called a mordant, which often comes in the form of a heavy metal such as tin or iron. Mordants can also be organic compounds such as tannic acid, which, in the case of black walnut, is found naturally in the hull and thus needs no additional chemical to adhere it to fibre. This is one of many reasons why we choose to use this wonderful brown dye as our primary print medium.

Our process for printing our classic brown prints begins in October when we gather the black walnuts that have fallen from the various trees we glean from in Toronto, Burlington, and Paris, Ontario (ideally getting to them before the squirrels do). To make the dye, all we need is the husk, which we peel away with gloved hands (otherwise they would be stained for several days). We then return the nutty cores to the great outdoors, where they are quickly whisked away by squirrels and other foraging animals. We have arranged for next season’s harvest to go to an artisanal preserve maker, who will cure them and use them for his preserves.

The hulls are then boiled down in water for several hours and then strained. The dye liquor is boiled further until it reaches the level of concentration that we like for printing.

To print with the dye, we thicken it with Sodium Alginate, a thickener derived from seaweed, often used in the food industry and in molecular gastronomy.

We steam our prints to set the dye in the fabric, then add our colour blocks using a non-toxic, textile medium. Though it is non-toxic, it is still acrylic, so we use it sparingly as it can affect the absorbency of the beautiful organic linen that our tea towels are made of.

Like any dye, black walnut dye will mellow out with continued washing and exposure to extreme sunlight, but it will not completely disappear.

You can find the full line of our products on www.freshlyprinted.ca or come by Freedom Clothing Collective to check out a selection in person!