We are pleased to have artwork donated by artists affiliated with SKETCH. Sketch creates art making opportunities for young people who live street-involved and homeless or who are considered to be at risk. 50% of the sale price will go directly to the artist.

Artist Name, Info About the Piece	Item up for Auction (Click on an image to see full size version)
Artist: Adam McPhee Title: City Medium: Mixed media on wood Size: 12" x 15" Year: 2010 Estimate: Minimum bid $100
Artist: Britt Adair Title: You're so... Medium: Mixed media on wood Size: 12" x 12" Year: 2010 Estimate: Minimum bid $100
Artist: Faride Molina Title: Untitled Medium: Wood burning Size: 9.5" x 34" Year: 2011 Estimate: Minimum bid $300
Artist: Omar Samara Title: Masculine Mirror Medium: Mosaic Size: 10" x 10" Year: 2011 Estimate: Minimum bid $80
Artist: Peter Bones Title: Church Size: 6" x 6" Year: 2011 Estimate: Minimum bid $50
Artist: Sketch Artist Title: Untitled Size: 12" x 10" inches Year: 2009 Estimate: Minimum bid $60
Artist: Tanya Alberella Title: Untitled Size: 12" x 12" Year: 2009 Estimate: Minimum bid $175

Romas Astrauskas

Romas Astrauskas is a Toronto-based artist whose work has been exhibited in a variety of galleries in the city, including Greener Pastures, Clint Roenisch, LE Gallery and most recently at Ruins. Born in 1971, he earned his BA from the University of Toronto and MFA from the Parsons School of Design.

Les Paterson

I was born in the remote Québec town of Val-d'Or in the winter of 1971. was quickly spirited away by my parents and grew up in Alberta somewhere near the beginning of the Alaska Highway. Between 1990 and 1994, I earned my BFA from the University of Alberta. After graduation I went on the obligatory trip to Europe and continued my arting at the expense of the vacation. To quote a girlfriend at the time, "If you think you're going to drag me to another goddamned art gallery, I will push you into this goddamned canal right now!" Upon returning to Edmonton, I lost the girlfriend and began serious bohemian living. I did a series of successful group and solo shows at the downtown Manifesto Gallery. By the turn of the millennium, I had decided that in Edmonton I was a medium-sized fish in a small pond. On January 10th, 2000, I moved to big old Toronto to seek my fortune (silly me). In short order, I found a place to live and a job at Acadia Art and Rare Books: a bookstore that specializes in art books. After working there for four years, I essentially acquired an informal Master's Degree in Art History. In 2006, I had my big break when The Marge Simpson Project opened to incredible media coverage. The next year I showed the very well-reviewed Pop Can Poll

Birrell Josef Mendelson

Born Birrell Josef Mendelson on July 30th, 1944 in Toronto, Canada, Mr. Joe is a great Canadian original who has established himself as a consummate multi-media artist. A self-taught guitarist since age eleven, Mr. Joe's musical career spans four decades; he is a prolific songwriter and a recognized guitar master. In 1975, Mr. Joe rescued some derelict paints from the garbage, and tried painting just to see what it was like. A distinct style soon evolved. Today, Mendelson Joe's painting's are internationally recognized as outstanding, unique, examples of contemporary Canadian art. His work is housed at the Art Bank (a government-owned art collection), and in numerous private and corporate collections worldwide. In March 2000 Mendelson Joe realized his long time dream and exited the city of Toronto. He now resides in a log cabin surrounded by forest in the Almaguin Highlands.

Born in Ethiopia, Peter Bones; the poet and artist has always used music as a tool for social awareness as well as personal therapy. His sound is a combination of hip-hop, folk and alternative music. Well know in the streets of Toronto and one who as been a active member of the Canadian urban scene since the early 90’s; Bones recalls working and growing up with artists such as K’naan and Director Lil X well before they both became internationally recognized artists. Bones recently joined the Stolen From Africa Movement, which has allowed him to share his experiences growing up in the streets of Toronto with high school youth in underserviced communities of Toronto via peer-to-peer workshops. Recently Bones has been featured on MTV talking about his involvement at Sketch which is a program that creates opportunities for street involved youth. Bones has also expressed himself in visual media. His paintings represent his environment, the people and emotions that contribute to his growth.

My name is Omar Samara. I was born in Syria and moved to Canada in 1995. I consider myself to be a dynamic student artist. I say that because I do not like to take the word ‘artist’ for granted. It is not that simple. In fact, I believe that an artist is someone who is well trained like a chemist or surgeon. I am always interested in learning about new artistic mediums and techniques. Therefore, I am always looking forward to attending new and inspiring art courses to take. I have always been producing art, and would love to continue creating art for the rest of my life, on a continuous basis. Every time I sell an item it gives me an opportunity to be able to do more, before I run out of storage space. I am always open to constructive criticism and positive feedback from my clients.

Tanya’s swirly mysterious pieces of what appears to be guided paint with no brushstrokes continues to have people question “how is that done?”. She has spent time with these series of pieces, experimenting with colours, metallics, and elements of design.

Vibrant, free-flowing and curiously stimulating while leaving room or continuous exploration and growth. Thus, entertaining the notion of perpetual motion both in and amongst Our Selves…

We, humans, are creators; we have that ability within us. Creating is an expression of what is inside us, is bringing to life things. I have chosen to do it trough carving. I like the process of having a piece of wood in my hands and bringing it to life. I love carving, its a opportunity to share with others what is inside me.

Over the last 25 years Kurt Swinghammer has established a uniquely diverse presence on the Toronto arts scene as a film composer, session musician, singer/songwriter, painter, illustrator & designer. He has created visual work work for dancer Peggy Baker, The Shuffle Demons, and Stompin Tom Connors, and he has composed for the CBC, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, and the National Film Board of Canada. In 2011 he released the CD & Bluray disc “Turpentine Wind” - an homage to Tom Thomson which includes a song cycle, animations set to ambient remixes, and a series of 500 paintings on wood panels depicting the digitized lyrics. The portrait of Burt Bacharach is from a series that Swinghammer exhibited earlier this year at The Music Gallery. On Feb 25, 2012 he will present his second annual Bacharach cabaret at Hugh’s Room. Kurt is represented in the permanent collection of the Canada Council Art Bank, has been the cover story of NOW Magazine and Artist Of The Week on Bravo’s Arts and Minds. Please click here for more information.

I am an active amateur photographer. My favourite subjects have been Western empty landscapes, railroad trains in the West and active children. I try to alter my photographs as little as possible on my computer and I do not use Photoshop. I print and frame my own pictures. This is all done at home. We had our first trip to Africa (Tanzania) the third week in October 2011. These pictures were taken from an open top Range Rover in Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks, on all-day guided drives. My professional career included four years spent as a Detached Street Worker in downtown Toronto, many years ago. In 1970 I was appointed a Judge at The Juvenile and Family Court of Toronto,_ from which I fully retired around 2001. Until last year I continued to be a volunteer Mentor to grade 8 students each year.

Jacquelyn Sloane Siklos studied at the University of Toronto, receiving a B.A. in fine art and art history, and graduated in Graphic Design and Illustration from the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD)(1995-1998) Jacquelyn worked as a graphic designer for a number of years at a major Toronto design firm, Gottschalk + Ash (G + A). After leaving G + A, in 2000, she continued to work as a freelance graphic designer. She began on a full-time professional art practice in 2006. She has exhibited her work in Toronto, Richmond VA, and been selected as a finalist in juried competitions. She works in photography and painting, exploring colour and motion.

Martha Eleen is an Honours graduate of Emily Carr College of Art. She is a Toronto based artist with an interest in cultural landscape. Her recent body of work Necessities of Life, about the poetics of big box mall signage, was exhibited at the Hokkaido Garou Gallery in Sapporo, Japan and at the Architecture Gallery, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Canada in 2010. This is the fourth series of paintings that investigates car culture and suburban sprawl outside Toronto. Into the 905: The View From the Car, Peace Village and High Tech Road, have been exhibited at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto 2009, 2010, the St Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre, 2009; Art Gallery of Mississauga, 2007, Cambridge Gallery and Grimsby Public Gallery, 2005 and have received critical attention in the form of reviews, curatorial essays and publication. Eleen’s current work, I Huck, investigates the landscape of the experience of knowing her son Gabe, who is disabled, and for whom the most ordinary human rights are still hard won privileges. I Huck will be exhibited at Loop Gallery in Toronto Jan. 7-29, 2012.

David Birdsell

David Birdsell is a Canadian filmmaker living in Los Angeles where he graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. His short films have screened at the Cannes, Sundance, and Toronto film festivals and have been awarded over 20 festival awards.

Lyall Brownlee

Lyall hosts the blog, "Living Vicariously Through Unicorns, and other imaginary creatures." He draws pictures, then paints them on canvas and wood. He’s a big fan of the rock and roll music, skateboarding, and juggling. He explains his creative roots: “when I was a kid, I always spent a lot of time drawing. My interest in art was first really stoked in high school though—being kind of quiet, I guess I tried to express my individuality through my 'weird' drawings. I was pretty into skateboarding and through that culture, I was introduced to a lot of the 'lowbrow' art that was going on”. Please feel free to contact Lyall at the.texas.institute@gmail.com.

Stephen Gaetz

Stephen Gaetz is a contemporary Canadian artist. His focus on figurative painting has reflected his interest in the narrative possibilities of the image. Each painting captures a moment in time allowing the viewer to imagine the situation and context that lead to that particular moment, and the actions to follow. Our curiosity about people allows us to endlessly construct such narratives; to invent our own worlds which we see through these paintings. Stephen Gaetz has exhibited his works at a number of art galleries in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.

Kate Little

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba Kate moved to Ontario at the age of 3. She grew up surrounded by the arts although mainly self- taught. She later studied at the University of Toronto in Physical Health and Education and is currently working at St. Michael’s Hospital Toronto. Kate’s work stems from her personality as a thinker and observer. Her work is primarily acrylic abstract. Her interest is in layers, form, composition and colour. Also she has a strong interest in photography. Using her unique eye, Kate’s goal is to create an active relationship with the observer and her work to invoke a personal experience-the feeling beyond verbal comprehension.

Sarah Tompson

Born in Toronto, Sarah’s formal study began at age nine at Claude Watson School for the Arts, followed by a major in visual arts at Earl Haig. Later she continued her studies in the Graphic Design program at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Sarah characterizes her work as abstract using a wide variety of colours and brush strokes. She now lives and works in the west end of the city.

Valerie Kent

Valerie Kent is an experienced artist and teacher who paints en plein air and in the studio. She studied in Montreal at Ecole des Beaux Arts and Concordia University, in Toronto at York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson University and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, in Nova Scotia at St. Francis Xavier University and at the University of Iowa. Valerie paints in watercolours, acrylics, oils and mixed media. She enjoys diverse subject matter, experimenting with mixed and multi-media and incorporating found environmentally friendly materials. She regularly offers workshops and courses to school boards, art societies and at art schools and colleges: Loyalist College, Haliburton School of the Arts, Southampton Art School and others throughout Ontario. She leads art river cruises in France and land trips to Italy in the summers. She is currently Past President of the Richmond Hill Group of Artists, is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, and member of the Society of York Region Artists. Her work is in collections worldwide and she is represented in Ontario by Artplus Gallery, Belleville. She writes articles for the Watercolour Gazette, Good News Toronto, On Richmondhill.com, and is a Canadian Regional Editor of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. She has frequently appeared on television shows doing art demonstrations. 


Lauren Schaffer

Lauren Schaffer currently resides with her husband and two children in Toronto, Canada. She has exhibited widely across Canada, with six solo shows to her credit and has been the recipient of numerous grants and residencies, including Artist-in-Residence at N.S.C.A.D. in Halifax, Crane Canada Ltd. and Galerie Graff in Montreal. Her media coverage includes a "Spotlight" article by Ray Cronin in Canadian Art magazine in 2000 and a feature in Espace Sculpture magazine's 20th Anniversary edition, 2007. In Fall 2009, she exhibited the first installment of a new photo series, Translating the World for Isabella, at Station Gallery in Whitby, Ontario. Her sculptural work, Diamond as Big as the Ritz, has been recently acquired by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and will be exhibited there in the show, Material World in January 2012.

George Hatzipantelis

Have been a professional photographer for the past 5 years specializing in landscapes from the UK and Canada. There is a sense of awe and enlightenment when viewing and capturing Earth’s beauty through a camera. Have recently being going back and forth visiting England and Scotland and the countryside and landscape of this land is breathtaking and awe inspiring.

Chuck Gravely

There is no deep meaning behind this piece. There is a purpose. I set out to assemble something beautiful to bring joy through the winter. That is all. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed putting it together. This piece is a diptych. The intention is that these should be placed together with the purple on the left. But it's your party so feel free to place them to maximize your enjoyment.