Paul Petro’s (980 Queen West, 416-979-7874) 15th annual Christmas Spice features a porcelain-decorated tree by Maura Doyle (of the Nuit Blanche bone pile) and multiples and small works by gallery artists like Stephen Andrews, Sadko Hadzihasanovic, Janet Morton and Melanie Rocan. December 9-24.
Photorama, a yearly sale supporting politically astute photography/time-based media venue Gallery TPW (56 Ossington, 416-645-1066), has work by more than 70 of Canada’s best emerging and established artists, including Edward Burtynsky, Suzy Lake and Nina Levitt, December 2-10. Most cost $200 to $600, and a $75 collector membership entitles you to first choice at a December 1 preview.
In Gallery 1313’s (1313 Queen West, 416-536-6778) Small Works sale, artworks 8-by-10 inches or smaller go for under $150, with 50 per cent of proceeds supporting the Parkdale venue for local emerging artists. To December 18.
Art Metropole (788 King West 416-703-4400), specializing in multiples, artist books, videos and mail art ephemera, holds its annual Gifts By Artists, with all manner of strange and wonderful stuff by Janice Gurney, Anitra Hamilton, Chrysanne Stathacos and many more, priced from $2 to $500, but most under $100, December 10-January 28.
Check out three events at arts building 401 Richmond: Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography (416-979-3941) covers the walls with members’ work for Wall To Wall, which supports gallery education programs, plus a Print Annex with photos under $100, December 1-10. Printmaking studio/gallery Open Studio (416-504-8238) offers original silkscreens, etchings, lithography and relief prints for $50 to $300 at its Artist Proof Sale, plus printmaking demos at the December 1 open house (sale continues to December 17). The Red Head Gallery’s (416-504-5654) Red Dot Show rounds up work by this year’s featured artists, including Peter Dykhuis, Dana Holst, Sam Mogelonsky and Ram Samocha. Prices start at $110, November 30-December 17.
ForPin Up, former AGO curator Michael Parke-Taylor selects limited-edition prints and posters that go for $75, a funder for Mercer Union (1286 Bloor West, 416-536-1519), an artist-run centre for local and international contemporary art. December 15-17.
At Hang Man Gallery (756 Queen East, 416-465-0302), members of the Artists’ Network, the group that puts on the Riverdale Art Walk, sell work under $500 at the BowsArt holiday show, November 29-December 24.
Although IndexG (50 Gladstone, 416-535-6957) features affordable drawings and prints year-round, its holiday Art Brownie Shop sells $30-to-$100 artworks constructed on 2.5-inch-square wooden blocks by Fiona Smyth, Kai Chan, Larry Eisenstein and many others, to December 18.
O’Born Contemporary (131 Ossington, 416-413-9555), specializing in photography, painting and installation work by living Canadian artists, holds a Holiday Multiples Fair of books and multiples under $200, on December 10.
At Art Interiors (446 Spadina Rd, 416-488-3157), a Forest Hill gallery that wants everyone to own some art, tiny works by over 50 artists go for $55 to $250 at its Festival Of Smalls, to December 24.
Neubacher Shor Contemporary (5 Brock, 416-546-3683) puts on Highly Desirable, with 100-plus works by gallery artists including Tibi Tibi Neuspiel, Katie Pretti and Ray Caesar, to December 24.
John B. Aird (900 Bay, 416-928-6772), a not-for-profit gallery in the Ontario government’s Mowat Block that often features orgs like the Society of Painters in Watercolour, holds the affordable Mistletoe Magic silent auction, which ends with a party on December 1.
Holiday craft sales abound, but at the Ontario Crafts Council (990 Queen West, 416-925-4222), cutting-edge craft meets art for Ontario Craft 11, which includes winners of the org’s four annual awards for boundary-pushing artists. Works range from $200 to $8,000. November 24-December 30.
Two worthy charities raise funds with participants’ artwork: Creative Works Studio (793 Gerrard East, 416-465-5711), a St Michael’s Hospital art program for people with mental health challenges, puts on Toronto Treasures, art made at the program, and launches its art calendar, The Blues, on December 1. Sale of paintings by Pockets Warhol, a monkey resident of Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary who supposedly copies Andy’s work, benefits the Sunderland refuge for primate retirees from research facilities and zoos. At Sadie’s Diner (504 Adelaide West, 416-777-2343), December 6-January 30.
