The Gladstone Grow-Op is an annual exhibition featuring contemporary artworks with a focus on landscape and urbanism. Local artists, designers, and landscape architects are encouraged to submit works that "cultivate curiousity" and explore the dichotomy of the natural environment and urbanized landscape in our world today.

Some of my favourite works from this year's exhibit were Little Pharm by Kara Stone, a project in which the artist reused her anti-depressant bottles to grow different plants and see which flourished (an apt metaphor); and All Night Blossoms Fell by Wabi-Sabi Collective, a beautiful installation of unfinished paper flowers caught in time as they fall to the floor.

Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON
M6J 1J6

On an unseasonably beautiful Sunday a few weekends ago, I eagerly headed to the east end to check out this year's winners of Winter Stations. Scattered throughout Kew, Balmy, and Ashbridges Bay beaches, Winter Stations is an annual design competition that sees the lifeguard stands along Toronto's beachfront re-imagined for the winter landscape.

I loved the creativity behind last year's installations - you can check out my post here - so naturally, I had high hopes for the 2016 exhibit. However, I was a little disappointed. There was obvious disparity between the concept and execution of some of the installations - great ideas on paper that fell flat once built. Whether this was due to poor foresight in the design stage or just the obvious wear and tear of Toronto winters (and the fact I caught the exhibit close to the end), I'm hoping we see some great installations in 2017.