A vending machine filled with $2 artwork recently popped up at Trinity Bellwoods Park, offering Toronto marketgoers a fun and affordable way to support a local artist.
Toronto artist Alex Bray recently gave art lovers the chance to test their luck with a “Lucky Charms” vending machine at the Toronto Artisan Market. Instead of dispensing candy or toys, each turn of the handle revealed one of five miniature prints inspired by lucky symbols from around the world.
The catch? Buyers could not choose which design they received.
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“My friend group loves blind boxes, and the vending machine concept gives that same effect of offering multiple designs but not knowing which one you’ll get,” Bray told Now Toronto.
Bray is a self-taught artist who has spent the past year primarily working with oil paint and turning memories from her camera roll into art. Through colour and light, she tries to capture not only what those moments looked like, but how they felt and how they continue to live in her mind.
However, she does not stick to one medium. Her work also includes drawing and digital art, while the prints inside the vending machine featured her pencil crayon illustrations.
The idea came from one of Bray’s friends, who discovered another artist’s print vending machine during a trip to New York City a few years ago.
“Ever since that trip, she’s been telling me to get a vending machine for my art, but I never got around to it until a few months ago,” Bray said.
A little art and a little luck
For the machine’s first theme, Bray wanted to create something that felt more meaningful than a standard art print.
“I wanted my art to be more than just art. I wanted it to mean something to people,” she explained. “Who could deny getting a lucky charm? Everyone needs some luck by their side, and it brings some magic into your day.”
Bray researched lucky symbols from different parts of the world before selecting five that would be recognizable and translate well into drawings. Each print measured approximately 2.5 by 3.5 inches and cost $2.
Bray said the machine quickly caught the attention of people passing through the market, with many calling it “cute” or stopping to watch others give it a try.
Some friends turned the handles at the same time so they could reveal their prints together. Those who received the design they wanted jumped up and down, while others tried their luck again or traded prints with friends.
“It was also so cool to see people recording themselves using the machine and showing which print they got,” she said.
Part of the machine’s appeal, Bray believes, was the nostalgia it brought back for people who remembered using similar machines to buy candy or toys as children. It also made purchasing art feel less intimidating and more interactive.
“There’s excitement in not knowing what you’ll get and testing your luck,” she said.
Bray also wanted the machine to make local art more accessible. While gallery souvenirs and original pieces can sometimes be costly, her machine allowed visitors to leave with a small keepsake for only a toonie.
“With the vending machine, it sort of did the selling for me,” she said. “I didn’t have to pitch anything or stand by it, and people didn’t have to justify to themselves about spending $2.”
Getting the machine ready took some luck too
Although the finished concept looked simple, stocking the machine came with a few last-minute challenges.
The original paper Bray purchased would not work with her printer, while the card sleeves meant to hold the prints were too thick for the machine. She discovered the sleeve problem the night before the market and worried she would not be able to use the machine at all.
Luckily, her friend had replacement paper and helped cut the individual prints from larger sheets. Bray’s partner also stepped in and individually cut 100 new card sleeves from thicker paper.
“It was also my first time using the vending machine and testing it out, so it was a little bit of a learning process figuring out how to make it work properly,” she said.
Now that its first outing is complete, Bray already has bigger plans for the concept.
She hopes to organize pop-ups around Toronto featuring limited runs and changing themes, giving people a reason to search for the machine around the city. She would also like to partner with local businesses that could host it for a month while she creates exclusive prints inspired by each establishment.
Bray is also making the machine available for private events, where its artwork can be customized for the occasion.
Its next stop will be especially meaningful: the wedding of the same friend who first encouraged Bray to turn the idea into reality. The machine will dispense prints inspired by the bride and groom, giving their guests a personalized keepsake to take home.
“My vision for this project would be to do pop-ups around the city and have limited runs of each print,” Bray said. “I think changing up the theme of the artwork will encourage people to come back and get outside to find the vending machine.”
