Beyond Toronto: A Journey into Art

So why am I telling you about my vacation on this site? Well, the purpose of my vacation was ART, it was solely based around art. A few months ago, when work started to get a little busy, I thought to myself, “I want to spend 3 days in the Louvre…” so I decided to do it! I would spend 3 days in the Louvre, and whatever happened after that was a bonus.

Two days after the busiest season at my job, I got on a plane and went to Paris. I booked a spot at a hostel for three days, and aside from that, I had nothing else booked. It wasn’t until the day I was leaving that I thought to myself…”um, what exactly are we doing?”… seriously, I booked a hostel for three days, and that was it?!?!? But as a good friend said before I left, you need nothing more than a toothbrush. It put my mind at ease, and the rest did work itself out.

So the trip had me traveling to two major cities Paris and London… 

Paris was destination one, and I have to tell you, the couple I sat beside on the plane ride over must have thought that I was nuts, as every few moments they would ask what hotel I was staying at, and what sites I had planned to see. When I told them I was not sure, a look of confusion would come over their faces, followed by suggestions of places I should see. The lady was rather funny, as she was the planning type, and was trying to figure out what they were going to do when they landed.

So Paris, what were the sites I saw?

-The Louvre
-Musee D’orsay
-Centre Pompidou
-Notre Dame

As you can tell, I didn’t hit up everything during this first real trip because I wanted to save a lot for next time. So, let me start with the Louvre. WOW! Just the sheer size of it... I have never seen it’s equal. In three days I could barely do the collection and it’s artists justice. Consider this, I didn’t take an audio tour, so I was checking out the gallery without the obstacle of slowing down to appreciate the history of the painting and the artists, and I still missed two major sections.

Tourism. I was there one week ago, so it was mid October, and the place was packed. Tourism apparently never slows down in Paris, even in the winter. Everywhere you looked people were photographing, so I did what I had to do...“When in Rome…” however, the thing is, I wasn’t photographing and video taping for the same reason as everyone else. My purpose was more for study the building, as I don’t think I really photographed more than two paintings. I was more shocked by the size of the rooms, paintings, the building.

So what did I do at the Louvre? After I picked my jaw off the ground, I spent a fair bit of time studying styles and sketching. I have always wanted to be a part of the culture of the Louvre, I wanted to sketch statues/paintings and be amongst the many artists which have partaken in this practice over the years. At first, sketching was rather intimidating, consider 50% of the people who would pass by would peek over your should to see exactly what you were sketching. I think it’s just human nature, heck I caught myself doing it several times. If it weren’t for my music, I don’t think I would have gotten through a single picture, you need the audio distraction to ignore all the human distractions around you. The time I did spend sketching was focused on this collection of statues that I believe was from an old fountain, the subject was of four prisoners sitting. I sat down and sketched a couple of them from different angles, which can be found in the photos from this trip. All in all, the Louvre rocked.

What about the Muse D’Orsay? It was solid. A lot of impressionist’s work that took a bit of time to get through. The really cool part about the museum was that it was a train station in it’s previous life. I thought the best exhibit was Picasso’s artistic commentary on Manet’s “Lunch on the Grass.” You could just sense Picasso’s humor shining through the whole exhibit.

Oh, and of course, I got a chance to drop in for a little service at the Notre Dame cathedral. Really neat, I took a lot of video of it, but not too many photos. Overall, Paris was solid, art was oozing out of every corner of the city, and the people and culture were ever present. The one thing I never got? Why people in the city walk so fast, faster than any other city I have been too. Anyway, I finally understand why an artist would want to live in Paris.

London, London, London a city that I have been in love with for years on end… and it was just as good as always. Got to hang out with my sister and friend, hung out with a couple of my friends, and saw some great graffiti thanks to Laura P. What did I see in London?

-Oxford
-Leake Street (…the graffiti alley)
-National Gallery
-Tate Modern Museum

I think I have been to London three times in four years, so this leg of the trip was more about hanging out with friends/family rather than site seeing… just kicking about. I think the craziest site I got to see was Leake Street. Solid little hideout by Waterloo Station. When Laura took me there, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect… but after a few seconds, I think I fell in love with all the work. You’ll see why in the pictures I took. For graffiti fans I highly recommend this street. The day we were there, we were lucky enough to see some artists in action too.

See, I am not sure what else to write here, because this part was all about chilling and eating… I really don’t have much more to say. All I can say is take a through the pictures and let me know what you think, note all pictures were taken on a point and shoot camera.

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

"Happiness is love, disguised with a smile”

Title: "Happiness is love, disguised with a smile”
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 40" x 30"

I guess when I started this project, the goal was to fill some space on a wall. A friend of mine had commission me for a painting, and his direction was he wanted a painting for his office done in my (Koray’s) style…to quote him loosely. There was not much more direction beyond that. Ahhhh, the pet peeve of many a painter.

Where to start? I knew that when this painting was done, it would hang in an office, an office that is visited daily by people in desperation, in hope and determination…people who have been all the way there and back. You see, this painting is to hang in an Oncologist’s office (in laymen’s terms, a Cancer Doctor). The goal of the painting was clear, to bring joy, hope and renew energy in people’s lives. To not only my friend, who needs to renew his energy for everyone who walks in his door, so he can provide the same good quality care to everyone, but also to all individuals who visit his office.
The Technical
I remember, as always, I was sketching on the subway, letting my mind run free when I first sketched this picture…I knew there was something unique about it. The moment I sketched it, it’s title came to me. I knew that I would have to paint it, it was a must!

The funny thing is, for the second time ever, I don’t want to tell you exactly what the painting truly means because I believe that the title gives away a fair bit about the true subject. When looking at it, just know that love is ever present, we can find it in the simplest of life’s joys, even when all is wrong in this world.

The other day I had a thought of what it would be like for this painting to be hung in a private space, and you know, it saddened me. May this painting always remain in a public space, and may it remind people that joy and love is all around us, we just have to remember to pay attention and notice it all around us. : )

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih
P.S. Might I add, I am really happy about how the face turned out.
P.P.S. To fully appreciate the colors of this painting, you would have to see it in person! 

Artists inspired by Artists! I love you MOM!

Artist: Zerrin Salih
Medium: Oil on Canvas

Can you recall who or what encouraged you to do the thing you love most in life? Can you remember who supported you and acted as your cheerleader as you continued to develop and grow? When it comes to my love of painting, I can tell you exactly who inspired me…. You guessed it, MY MOM! She never ceases to share her encouragement, constantly pushing me to create and grow, especially when I lose confidence in what I do. She believes in me, and it’s amazing.

As long as I can remember, watercolors and oils could be found in our home. Sometimes in use, and sometimes on a shelf, making the space look more colorful. You could always see my moms love for painting, whether it was painting something of her own, or appreciating a work by one of the “great masters.” She brought art into our lives, showed us and taught us how to create, inspiring creativity in all of us. I can even remember my sister and I painting, with watercolors, along side her. Even when bringing up two kids (with my dad) took up a fair share of her time, she always made sure she was working on something, even if it was just a sketch.

Just like my mom believes in me, I believe in her. Her paintings are amazing, and she’s a little shy about sharing them with others. It’s about time people see work by the true talent in our family (don’t worry, I know she will love to see her work up on this site, call it intuition). Below are three oil paintings completed by my mom. I had hoped to post some of her watercolors as well, but since they are behind glass, it was too difficult to capture them in a picture.

Artist: Zerrin Salih
Medium: Oil on Canvas

Artist: Zerrin Salih
Medium: Oil on Canvas

What never ceases to amaze me is how different our styles. She is amazing in how focused, disciplined and detail oriented she is. She makes sure that everything appears lifelike. Me, I like to exaggerate certain elements in a picture. The time she invests in getting every color correct, making sure that each leaf is in place… it’s amazing. Often we chat about the progress of both of our paintings, and I must admit, I am honored to be able to provide creative feedback to someone so talented. In 20 years from now, I hope that I can look around me, and know that I have such a positive impact on those in my life. Mom, I love you, and I thank you for everything you have done for me and my art… even for the paint by numbers you bought me when I was a kid.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Everyone, please take a moment to enjoy.

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih 

"Just cause I'm wrong, doesn't make you right!"

Title: "Just cause I'm wrong, doesn't make you right!"
Size: 11" x 14"
Medium: Acrylics

First let me begin by saying “WOW, it feels good when the SPARK ignites the flame!” What is it that sparked this feeling in me? All of you! Different conversations with each of you who positively encourage me to get back to my art, and a little of me kicking my own butt to express myself. For those of you who aren’t aware, I just started a new job in March. Due to the distance I travel each day, my energy levels have plummeted. As a result, I have had to go through an adjusting period, to restructure my day and manage my energy levels. After a period of almost 8 weeks, I am ready to baby step my way back at it. Although I can’t promise to post every week, I can give you my promise to throw myself back into my work. I may be exhausted some days, but I need it, like I need water. You can go without water for a while, but then when you don’t take a drink for a few days, you fade away. That’s a risk I’m not willing to take.

So, about this painting!!! This week’s painting revolves around the subject/action of judgment, or passing judgment on others without questioning our own actions. An interesting behavior, as we are all guilty of it at one point or another. Sometimes we are fully conscious of it, and others we make a statement or take action without having had the chance to calculate the end result. As the words slip from our mouths, or mid-motion, we realize the wrong of our way. It’s too late; it continues to come out, too quick for your brain to stop. Now what? What are the next steps, what is the observer’s reaction?

In this painting we see the traditional symbol for evil/the devil, horns and tail. We know we should hate the subject, for he is the evil and sinful… yet we have a certain level of sympathy for him. Sympathy because his expression says, “I acknowledge what I have done is wrong, I have shame, but that doesn’t mean you have the right to look down on me.” Shame humbles us, it makes us human. Seeing another human in this condition, makes it easier for us to sympathize with them no matter how evil, or what wrong they have committed. It’s an odd thought, but the mind can also be odd.

What about the style? Those who spend time at my home, have come to realize that I love graffiti. Above my bed are snapshots of graffiti from Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. It’s the last thing I see before I go to bed every night. I have the desire to appreciate every wall that has graffiti on it. As time goes on, you will probably see my work slide in this abstract graffiti direction. It’s what I love.

I can talk for hours about this painting, but for now, that’s all folks. Let me know your thoughts… until next time.

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

"Speaking with the Soul"

Title: "Speaking with the Soul"
Size: "24" x 36"
Medium: Acrylics

“A photograph could never capture the true essence of a painting…” my entire undergrad, and the above picture, could attest to this statement…

This weeks project was a little different, different how? Well, unlike my past paintings, this one was meant to show communication and understanding, on another level.

When I first set out to paint this picture, I thought of Mark Rothko’s paintings in The Rothko Chapel (http://www.rothkochapel.org/). Colored canvases, placed in a room, which help to evoke a feeling/emotion in the visitor. Communication without words. The idea is impactful to me, so I wanted to see if I could instill a feeling in the viewers of my painting.

When the background was complete, I remember sitting back and feeling calmer, a feeling of peace. As if the day0s troubles had washed away. How amazing? Just staring at chaotic shades of purple and white could impact a viewer in such a positive manner.

It was good enough for my soul, it was complete! I was at peace… BUT! For the artistic side of me, the challenge hadn’t even begun. This background merely set the stage for the story yet to be told. In my mind, I had an idea of what this canvas would look like when complete… but as any painter can tell you, painting is an organic process, and sometimes paintings can grow in way we did not anticipate.

My gut said, “show two characters that are connected, who get it, but demonstrate no physical interaction between one another.” This was my challenge to myself! Is it possible? It is, and the face held the key to this mystery. Expressions of the face tell a story. I mean take a look at the Mona Lisa for instance.

Nailing the right expression was so important to me, so I placed a lot of emphasis on it. As time went on, I felt like anything I added to the body of the characters would take away from the story… so arms became unnecessary, this is why the lady has no arms.

So, Who are these two people?

Mother and son? Teacher and student? Or two random individuals, who get it, get one another… Neither having met one another, nor will they ever. As I quoted in a previous posting, “…a picture is worth ten thousand words…” and in this case, not all words are spoken.

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

Deep Thoughts....Deep Thoughts....

This has been one of the busiest weeks of my life. So busy that I had to halt one of my new painting midweek, something I never like to do. But, sometimes life takes priority…and this is that time.

This week, I give you one simple, yet beautiful, image of a sunset from the highest point in Toronto…YUP! The CN Tower. I have to say, it’s one of the most breathtaking sights I have ever seen.

Anyway, this picture reminds me of a quote from “The Alchemist,” and yes I feel the need to share. I hope I quote it properly, as I can’t seemed to find the page on which it’s written…

The boy was jealous of the freedom of wind, until he realized the only thing holding him back was himself.
I am not sure what it is about breathtaking sites, that makes us remember these important quotes…but it does.

I hope you enjoy this little gem.

Keep making your piece of the world a little better.

Koray (Core-EYE)

Pin Her Up: DJ Miss Kittie

It was about a month ago, after DJ Miss Kittie caught a glimpse of some of my work, that she decided to contact me about taking some promo shots. She said “pin-up style,” and I was intrigued… I mean trying to recapture that 50’s style pin-up girl, with modern day photography… that was a challenge I was looking for. I was in!
 
The initial step, the fun step, was to do the research. Searching the internet for both old and new pin-up style pictures, to see what has been done. Notice I said internet, not library. The idea of doing research in a library was daunting. I couldn’t even imagine what it must be like going to school in today’s day and age, having all that information at your fingertips. I digress.

Knowing we shouldn’t rely on the internet for everything, I decided to try my chances at two books stores…and amazingly…the universe heard my request. I was in Indigo when I found a full color, 270 page collection of Gil Elvgren’s life works for about $14 (on major discount). Are you kidding me?!? Yes please, I took their last copy. This book was not only helpful to myself, for figuring out the shots and poses we should be going for, but also for Miss Kittie, so she could nail down the look she was going for.

The next step was the task of securing a location. Surprisingly, this wasn’t that hard… I scouted a couple of locations, but nothing had the perfect feel, like the Temperance Gallery (Thank you Victor for having us). A beautiful gallery, a great location and a perfect backdrop, to say the least.

Finally, getting the shoot to come together. We arrived at Temperance Gallery at 7PM, on Sunday night (a late one). After a few hours of hair and makeup, paralleled by a quick camera setup, and we were good to go. The photo shoot was fun… there’s no crazy story, it was just fun… the big payoff for all the preparation.

After a few hours of photography, mixed with mambo music and Ice Cube’s greatest hits, it was time to throw in the towel.

A little after midnight, my lighting assistant, Bobby Del Rio, and I decided to head to Sneaky Dee’s for a midnight Fajita and Quesadilla fiesta… ahhh, a reward that’s well worth the wait!

Now, please click on the photos above and below so you can check out the pin-up gallery.

When viewing these photos, please note that the final shots found on my site vary in finish, compared to what will be used for promotional purposes. This is a classic case of “Function over Form.” When being commissioned for work, we have to keep in mind the goal of the end user vs. our vision. However, since this website is dedicated to showing you the world through my eyes… I have decided to finish the photos in the manner in which I envisioned them… ; - )

Enjoy!

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih


This team effort was brought to you by: Ashley Short (hair), Trisha Dolmer (makeup), Bobby Del Rio, Victor Fraser and Temperance Gallery, and DJ Miss Kittie.

 

Simply Repetitive

 

When learning about photography, often you are taught, “pictures containing repetition make for a great shot!”…for example, a row of flowers planted one after the other. Why is that? Why does repetition make for such a great shot? I like to think it’s because we find comfort in things we are familiar with…something that doesn’t vary too much, and doesn’t deviate from the norm. These predictable themes are exactly the reason I try to avoid photographing repetition; that is to say, I like a little variety with my crumpets and tea.

A couple of weeks ago, while wondering around Toronto, I found this interesting mural that I was instantly drawn to…. although it contained a repetitive theme, there were slight variations in it that sucked me in. What was it? This mural, with an industrial overtone, got my number. I couldn’t help but stare at it...it's simple, yet intricate, beauty, the contrast in colors, the different shapes and height of the nails and the raw power that was needed to drive all those nails into the wall. I was sucked in. I love it, and I couldn't help but photograph it.

What can I say? I am another victim of repetition, and although it bugs me a little, I do enjoy the simple beauty of it all.

If you are ever by Toronto's City Hall, walk in the main entrance and look immediately to your right to see what I am talking about. I wish I knew the name of the artist who created the giant mural, but the moment I find out, I will credit them on this website.

Have fun!

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih 

"V for Vendetta... or Valentines..."

Title: "V for Vendetta...or Valentines..."
Size: 24" x 36"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Well, the title is based on the subject line from an e-mail to friends. The purpose of the e-mail? To organize a group outing on Valentines Day. As we all know, when you are young and single, Valentines is the last day you want to spend at home, by yourself…or even be alone for a moment. This is possibly why so many single people dislike Valentines day. So, the goal is to have a bunch of friends, married, dating and single to go out for dinner. I mean Valentines isn’t just about celebrating love for a lover, but it’s also a day to celebrate love for others, and sharing it with those who you love.

So, you’re asking, how does this relate back to my painting? Well, this painting started with a color that I fell in love with, turquoise. I found it during one of my shopping excursion over at Gwatzman’s Art Supplies, a little art shop on Spadina, run by a jaded old artist (it’s fantastic!). I saw the color on a shelf, and figured, I’m going to incorporate this into one of my paintings somehow. It evokes an emotion in me, an emotion I can’t explain…is it excitement? Is it happiness? Is it being content? Whatever it is, it’s bottled emotion (pardon the pun).

So, last week I was about to start a new painting that I had in mind, and figured this would be the perfect opportunity to incorporate turquoise into the background. I started applying thick layer after thick layer…mixing in white to lighten it, and then going back to the concentrated dark color, to build intensity…however, as I developed the background, I developed an urge to make the background an important element of the painting. I had to let the painting sit so I could figure it out. I was a little stumped…after a couple of days, and an encouraging conversation with my mom (who is also a painter) about letting go and doing what I wanted to do. I went for it, I figured this would be my first abstract painting I would produce.

From there on in, passion drove the rest of the painting. As I painted, the subject “V for Vendetta…or Valentines….” lingered in my mind. I want to communicate this statement on a canvas, but how do I do it? Easily…with the most passionate color of all, RED! The color of love and the color of vendetta. And within a couple of swipes…there was the V.

I have to admit…striking that V on the canvas filled me with emotion. Before the first strike, my heart began to pound…after the second strike, it got stronger. Never having experienced it before, I let the feeling linger…

The layers of the paint will forever encase the feeling I had at that moment.

I can say a ton about the similarity and ties between love, passion, vendetta and Valentines. But I will leave that up to some poor university student to argue in their 10 page paper.

Oh, and Valentines dinner with my friends, it’s still on, and it’s going to be fun!

I Love You.

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

An Experiment in Light and Color...

Colors set off butterflies in my stomach, and the stronger the color, the more intense the butterflies. Call me crazy…or lucky to have found what excites me.

So in my latest experiment with lighting and color, I wanted to see what was possible with the small space in my apartment, and a point and shoot camera. This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to work with Bobby Del Rio and Lindsay Brown to explore the wonderful spectrum of color and light! We ended up working on this project for several hours, partially due to lighting changes and partially due to set changes. Suddenly, I have a newfound appreciation for an assistant (If you know of anyone who would like to work for free, I mean for the love of ART! Send them my way!).

The photos that I have chosen to display here could be split into three categories or sets. The first set were warm-up shots, to play around with different styles of white lights. These are the ones of Bobby sitting in a chair.

Warm-up!

The second set, which I like to call “the man with the devil’s soul,” is meant to build the story of a shady character…clearly a dark individual. For these photos I have drawn on reds and blues to tell the story. It’s rather funny how a seemingly kind friend could suddenly send a chill down your spine.

“the man with the devil’s soul”

The last set is meant to tell the story of “a troubled state”….The troubled state of a couple, a couple of friends? A couple who is dating? A couple of coworkers? Ultimately it’s a glimpse at the troubled state of a couple you may or may never know.

“a troubled state”

All in all, I am rather happy with the outcome, and am happy to share the end result. Please click on any of the pictures above, or go to the Photography! page for more.

BIG THANK YOU to Bobby Del Rio, Lindsay Brown and Carly Brown for all your help!!!


If you would like to be added to the mailing list, to receive an e-mail when new material is posted, please send me a message via the contact page indicating “mailing list” in the subject line.

Thanks so much!

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

"when I grow up..." or "what may...or may never be"

Title “when I grow up!” or "what may...or may never be"
Materials: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 12”x36”
Date: January 17, 08

It’s been a little over a week since my last posting, and there’s a good reason for that, I’ve been pushing through the last couple of days so I could complete this new painting for you! It’s funny, it looks rather simple, but the challenge is in lighting and working with limited colors (blue, brown and white). I can imagine some of you might find it simple to work with fewer colors, but when you start going with it, you realize that this is an exercise in shading.

So what’s this painting about? Now the title is "when I grow up..." or "what may...or may never be"…Why? We’ve all seen a movie or two about what toys do when we’re not looking, or not at home. Similar to that, this picture tells the story of what this stuffed bunny dreams of. For a logical thinker, sure a stuffed toy is not real. But what if they could think? What would they dream about? Much like a child who often dreams of a grown up independent life, here the bunny dreams of the same.

Of course a stuffed bunny doesn’t grow, nor will it ever, so the second title "what may...or may never be" speaks to the impossible dream. But, the bunny doesn’t need to know that…sometimes, some things are better left unsaid…"sweet dreams!"

Enjoy! 

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

"ten thousand words"

So Saturday afternoon I had the biggest urge to sit down with my acrylics and just get messy. I tell you, there is no greater satisfaction than getting paint all over your clothes and your hands…and of course on the canvas. I like to think of it as earning your badge of honor.

When I sat down on Saturday, I was going to start a little project. I wanted to paint one of my sketches, but I didn’t think I would get that far. In one hand was my sketch, the other hand, a paintbrush…and as time went on, the painting began to evolve into something a little different than what I had planned.

Instead of painting an old man, I ended up with a young man…and a story. I couldn’t help it, I kept painting, and out it came.

Title: Her: “Love me…”
Him: “I wish I knew how to.”
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 8”x16”
Date: January 5, 08


By 6PM I had finished my first painting, and I was stoked to hit up the second one. A painting I like to call “ten thousand words”...based on the old quote “a picture is worth ten thousand words”

Title: “ten thousand words”
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 8”x16”
Date: January 5, 08


Why “ten thousand words”????…because, every element in this painting impacts the meaning of every other element. Therefore, the painting could have an endless amount of stories….

How did this come about? It began when I simply painted the top of the canvas red. No biggie, I did it to add some color to the layout.

However, as the painting dried…it started to look a little gruesome, like blood. It dawned on me then, this simple background would now impact the outcome of the entire painting. I’ll be honest, it stumped me, I mean what would I add next?…What would do justice to this background? I sat there, staring at the canvas for a while longer before I realized what needed to happen. So piece by piece, ideas came to mind, and everything fell into place. So, “what does the rabbit mean?”…oh, “and the shaped puddle?”

Instead of filling up this page with explanations and meanings, I will leave it up to you to figure it out....after all, that's why it's titled “ten thousand words.” The story is in the eyes of the beholder. Yes, I did find it a little disturbing putting it all together (and I am sure my mom won’t be pleased about it…and no mom, I won’t take it down.)…but, I had to complete it, to see where it was going.

I hope you enjoy!

Oh, the reward to myself for being so diligent Saturday night? It was to go the ROM on Sunday. I figured I would get there a little after it opened...yup...45 min line to get in....the picture says it all, a lineup outside and inside....lame. Needless to say, Sunday was spent in a coffee shop. My home away from home.

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih

"Life of the Troubadour"

The Birth of an Idea!
You ask: “How did this video come about?”
I say: “It was inspired by Sa-Ra’s video for “Feel the Bass”

Probably not an obvious response, but what would be? During the summer, Sterling Sweeney, myself and another friend had the privilege of seeing Sa-Ra perform live at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. The music was intense, colourful, rich and thick! Leaving the concert we were starved for more. We searched the Internet to see what we could find, but we only came up with bits and pieces. Then…there it was, the video for “Feel the Bass.” An artistic music video, with bold colours, unique style and nothing shy of sheer creativity. It was amazing, inspiring…so inspiring I immediately sent an e-mail to both Sterling and Bobby Del Rio, asking them if they wanted to make a video.

The idea of making a video was out there, but what would we shoot?

We let the idea ferment in our minds…for a while…and by a while I mean until the beginning of December. During a late night work session at the Green Room, with Sterling, we got a chance to talk. We started chatting about art and creativity, which lead to discussions around creation, which then lead to the discussion of the video. We were stuck on ideas of what we could shoot, then it struck during a conversation about Bobby’s album “boys, girls and other contradictions,” Sterling suggested shooting a video for one of Bobby’s songs! We quickly started talking about ideas and we agreed that each of us would shoot a video. This would allow each of us to execute our own vision and style, but allowing us to rely on the other person for co-direction and co-production. Sterling, eager to jump on it, chose “Life of the Troubadour,” a melancholy song about the life of a Troubadour.

Preparing for the shoot.

What came next was a whirlwind. On Tuesday, December 11th, Sterling and Bobby agreed on a shoot date of Sunday, allowing them to secure a theatre. By Wednesday, Sterling found a model, by Thursday we were looking at rescheduling due to illness, by Friday, we were back to the original shoot date. To add to the mix, only one location had been secured for the shoot, and we had many loose ends to tie up. It turned into a reality show, “Making of the Video.” No cameras following us around, it was just Sterling and I, pulling together our resources to nail down most of the details for the Sunday. By 9PM on the Friday night we were racking our brains for locations to shoot the video. Aside from a theatre, we had nothing else. So we started thinking of every location that fit the bill, theatres, schools, outdoors, indoors. By 9:30PM I started putting in calls and e-mails to friends and contacts. At 11PM we came up with the perfect location, a Studio/apartment/loft where a friend of ours use to live. The problem? She now lives in England, so we had to get in contact with her old roommate. I sent a message to our friend in England, and to her best friend in Toronto, in hopes of getting in contact with the old roommate. So off the e-mails went. By 1AM on Friday we managed to get a response for both girls. It turned out that the best friend now lived with the old roommate….BONUS! We secured the location. The Sunday shoot was on!

Saturday was a blur….we spent the day planning, picking up the Dog costume, getting food for the day of the shoot, doing test shots, planning other shots and tying up loose ends. To sum it up, a mad chase around the city! By 5PM, we were burnt. We decided to split up and take care of our own things for a few hours, and then we could meet up to discuss some final shots. I should mention, it was about this time that we discovered we were about to get the worst snowstorm in 30 years. When you don’t have a car, and each person is carrying a bag per hand, AND you rely on the TTC to get around town, your concerns begin to grow. I guess I was a little more at ease, as I was going to meet up with Bobby that night, and he had no idea what we were shooting. All he heard was dog costume. I met with him later that night to walk him through the details. Sheer exhaustion had kicked in, and the meeting with Sterling was called off on account on not being able to think straight. I decided it was time to pay a visit to my old friend sleep.

Day of the shoot!

11AM, the snow had piled up rather high…dead silence outside, the sound had been muted by the fresh snowfall. Always a bad sign for commuting. Sterling and I met at my apartment, we packed everything up, and checked our list twice. Our concerns now, how are we going to get around town? And will Jennica, our model, be able to make it down to the Queens Quay with a suitcase full of costumes?

Much to our surprise, Jennica made it to our meeting location!…with a massive pink suitcase full of costumes. The suitcase with wheels was more like a snowplow than a method of transporting clothing…it made for great comic relief. After walking Jennica through the roadmap of the day, we had one last concern. How do we tell her we’re going to shoot part of the video at Jane and Finch, the other end of Toronto (but what felt like the other end of the earth considering the snow)? After dancing around the subject for a few moments, we said it, and to our surprise Jennica didn’t even bat and eye. We were golden. We continued to walk her through the details of the day, and then we were off to shoot. From there on in, the day was fun, long and full of adventures. In total, we shot at three locations that took us from downtown Toronto to Jane and Finch. The snow added to the adventure of the day, but made it memorable.

The video and photos speak for the rest, click on the video below to view it. Be sure to pay attention to the backgrounds you will see some great art by Elyse Robertson and Victor Fraser.
BIG THANK YOU!!!!! to Sterling Pache, Bobby Del Rio, Jennica Beshiri, Victor Fraser, Elyse Robertson, Ericka Duffy and a HUGE THANK YOU to Temperance gallery.

Into a dream world...

So here we go...into the way I see the world....

For a while now, I’ve wanted to show family and friends what I’ve been drawing, painting, photographing and most recently, what video I’ve been working on; however, there have been many roadblocks.

To take a step back, my whole life I have wanted to get in touch with my artistic side, but I have been too busy with school. When school was out, work and sports took up my time, and when I wasn’t doing that, I found something else to do. Basically finding excuses to avoid working on artistic things…due to a fear of failing. Exactly, the fear of failure kept me from doing what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I learned one of life’s most important lessons that I started pushing forward; our greatest learning comes from our errors! So, here I am learning and moving forward.

The outcome? A few years ago I decided enough was enough, and it was time to get in touch with my artistic side...so I did. I began to work on drawing, a year ago I began painting (with a good swift kick in the butt from my mom), and a little over 6 months ago I started to get more into photography. What's the end result? A website that compiles samples of my work for the past couple of years.

SO! Please take a look at what’s posted, and provide me with your feedback. When you put yourself out there, you want to know what people have to say...

Thanks...

Koray (Core-EYE) Salih