Top Toronto Photographers
Photography is everywhere – magazines, textbooks, packaging and of course, the pages of the Fox Marin website. Photography also graces the walls of galleries and our homes. And, when it comes to Toronto photographers, you’ll find endless amounts of talent. So, where do you even begin?
Three Toronto Photographers You Should Check Out
I love seeing reality (or some semblance thereof) through the lens of someone else. There are hundreds of talented photographers in Toronto. Hundreds. In particular, there are three Toronto photographers whose work is within reach and currently tops my favourite list.
1. Maureen O’Connor
[The Visitation by Maureen O’Connor]
The first time I saw Maureen O’Connor’s photography at a local art fair, I was mesmerized. And, the first time I had the privilege of staging a seller’s home with their Maureen O’Connor photography, I was like a kid in a candy store. When my husband gifted me my very own Maureen O’Connor image for my birthday, I was beyond giddy.
[Remembrance by Maureen O’Connor]
In her most recent Threshold collection, Maureen O’Connor uses real animals and real spaces to create her images using film and chemistry-based printing. That’s right – her photographs are all real, no photoshop trickery. She finds the beauty in abandoned spaces and works with the cooperation of local animal handlers and zoos. Using the animals as representational figures, she explores “divergent narratives in our experience of time and memory – dramatic, transitory narratives commenting on beauty and fragility where a new dialogue can emerge”. Definitely worth checking out.
2. Lorie Slater
[Jesus Saves by Lorie Slater]
Lorie Slater is another Toronto photographer I discovered at a local art fair. I haven’t yet had the fortune of working on a staging project with her photography. But a girl can dream, right? Streetcar Wires is at the top of my wishlist. She’s also a dog lover – I’ve crossed paths with her at Cherry Beach which makes her super special in my books.
[Streetcar Wires by Lorie Slater]
She documents Toronto, our changing city. In her photographs, viewers will recognize parts of the city that mean something to them. After a career in the music industry, she turned her passion, photography, into her profession. I say “hallelujah”. Each photograph is produced in a limited edition of 25. You can either mount the photographs on a wood panel and cover it in resin or print them directly onto a sheet of aluminum.
3. Peter Andrew Lusztyk
“[Photography] is the process of turning ordinary or overlooked things into something that causes you to pause and examine and make your eyes explode because it’s so incredibly beautiful.” – Peter Andrew Lusztyk
[Peter Andrew Photography | Collectable Collection]
I discovered the photography of Peter Andrew Lusztyk at a furniture store on King East and I was completely gobsmacked. Awe at first site! Googling the artist, I fell through the online rabbit hole and I can’t get enough of his photography. Above all, his accomplishments are something to admire. He’s collaborated with National Geographic and Apple and his work has been featured with Netflix, Esquire and Fast Company among others.
[Peter Andrew Photography | Collectable Collection]
I have an obsession with the Uncanny Valley Collection, portraits of wax figures taken at Madame Tussauds. Hyper-real, creepy and a little uncomfortable.
[Peter Andrew Photography | Uncanny Valley Collection]
These Toronto Photographers Are My Top Three
Photography is art. Art is personal. What wows me may leave you stone cold. No judgment. If we all had the same taste in art the world would be a boring place.
Who wows you?
Disclaimer. I am not a professional art collector. I do not purchase art or photography as an investment. My collecting is based solely on my desire to surround myself with art that makes me smile every time I look at it. I love art that challenges me (but not outside my comfort zone) and art that I think is beautiful.
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This article is written by Kathy Mighton, Project Manager and Lead Designer here at Fox Marin Associates. She is FM Design’s creator of well-crafted spaces that inspire and impress! A true design enthusiast, there are not enough walls or surfaces in Kathy’s life to display all the art that she loves.
