7 Artists to Watch for at the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair
This year’s Toronto Outdoor Art Fair is set to kick off on Friday July 12th at Nathan Phillips Square. Featuring over 350 artists both local and international, TOAF is a hub for connecting the public with creatives working in mediums from glass and ceramics to photography; you can find a striking piece of statement jewellery as easily as an oil painting here, which I think it quite special. The programming is also unique – I love the idea of the Budding Art Buyers booth, which invites folks under 14 to purchase original artworks for under $20! And for the first time, TOAF has collaborated with the Government of Northwest Territories to showcase talents including Jessi Johnson of the wearable art brand Northern Beaded Creations.
Given its expansive nature, it might feel a bit daunting to enter the Fair’s grounds – so here are seven booths to seek out as a starting point.
Matthew Walton, Dancefloor Liberation, 2024. Acrylic, watercolour, pastel, and pencil on paper (53.34 × 38.10 cm).
Matthew Walton, booth 213
Toronto’s Matthew Walton is a name that’s new to me, and am I ever pleased to know it! Using mixed media including acrylic and pastel to express what he describes as “magic in the mundane”, Walton’s vivid, Cubist figures radiate with personality and the pursuit of queer joy.
Zahra Saleki, little fire, 2017. Photography (91.44 × 60.96 × 1.27 cm).
Zahra Saleki, booth 78
Another new-to-me-name, Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist Zahra Saleki’s photography quakes with emotion. The Iranian-Canadian creative says this about her practice on her website: “My journey began with a move to an unfamiliar land, a place shrouded in mystery. Over time, I learned that being an 'alien' wasn't about physical displacement but embracing a unique way of life and self-expression. Through the medium of art, I've become a full-time 'alien,' constantly crafting creativity into every moment.”
Alicia Niles, Bloom. Blown glass beads strung on coated steel with sterling silver clasp (
45.72 × 5.08 × 5.08 cm).
Alicia Niles, booth 62
My favourite discovery at TOAF 2023, Hamilton-based Alicia Niles is a nature-inspired jewellery designer. Her pieces are highly detailed and totally exuberant; and, because the glass she uses in each design is crafted by hand, they're also supremely singular.
Negar Nakhai, Khodnegar Rug, 2024. 100% Québec wool (57.15 × 82.55 cm).
Negar Nakhai, booth 217
Montréal-based multimedia artist Negar Nakhai’s gorgeous tufted rugs – made using entirely Québécois wool – were included in this year’s TOAF Jurors’ Picks list. I love that Nakhai's work is self-described as an “ode to horizontality”, with the Fair's website furthering the details of her practice as being “concerned with…reverence for the Ground, and the sentience of the Middle East.”
Shu-Chen Cheng, Blue Lagoon, 2024. Clay – non-functional décor piece (25 × 15 × 21 cm).
Shu-Chen Cheng, booth 177
What table or shelf vignette wouldn’t benefit from one of Hamilton-based artist Shu-Chen Cheng’s whimsically silhouetted ceramics? With glazes ranging from delectably lustrous to pleasingly tactile and matte, Cheng's decorative vessels beckon us to further explore their stellar surfaces and really pore over the details.
Alek Phan Trúc, When The Sun Sets, 2024. Oil on canvas (60.9 × 121.9 cm).
Alek Phan Trúc, booth 3
Etobicoke’s Alek Phan Trúc’s oeuvre includes oil on canvas creations and a collection of paintings on silk; their artist statement additionally notes that they're venturing into the world of VR as a means of bridging viewers with their creative expressions. I love this quote from Phan's web page on the TOAF site: “I invite you to ‘have a conversation’ with my paintings, and listen to the stories that travel through time and space, to meet you here in this moment.”
Peter Owusu-Ansah, Joyed Pink, 2023. Acrylic ArtBox (121.28 × 121.28 × 2.54 cm).
Peter Owusu-Ansah, booth 275
I’m consistently dazzled by Peter Owusu-Ansah of Toronto’s pop-y acrylic ArtBoxes when I catch a glimpse of them out in the wild. They’re a combination of strict geometries and unfettered colour use that he experiments with in Photoshop to achieve superbly vibrational spectrums. The resulting effect is hypnotic and happy-making.
The Toronto Outdoor Art Fair runs Friday July 12th until Sunday July 14th at Nathan Phillips Square.
