SNAP! 2010 Elevator Digital Photo Competition

Competitions are a beautiful thing, and even better if you can tie a charity to it as well!

I've been participating and donating my time and art to SNAP for many years now. And due to the rise in popularity it's getting more challenging for an artist to show case their work, even if it's for a a great cause.

SNAP! 2010 Elevator Digital Photo Competition

Approximately 400 submissions were received for this year's competition; the jury was then tasked with the responsibility of culling the collection down to 80 images to make up 2010 Silent Auction collection. These images will be sold on event night to the guests of SNAP! to help raise essential funds for the programs and services that support people living with, affected by, and at risk for HIV/AIDS.

Of the final 80 images chosen to dazzle the crow the evening of the event, I will have three (3) of my own images represented. One - even took Honorable Mention - My St. Curvy Detroit church.

The Event

Sunday, March 21, 2010, 6:00pm – 11:00pm
National Ballet School (400 Jarvis Street)

6:00 PM: Doors Open7:30 PM Sharp: Live Auction begins

Click here to purchase tickets online. For ticket inquiries tickets@actoronto.org

$90 General Admission

Includes: coat check, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, host bar, live auction, silent auction and entertainment provided by DJ Sumation.

A big Thank you to Treehugger for their BLOG post on our Building Stories show.

Also a big thanks to the Gladstone Hotel and the overwhelming response to the exhibit so far, the show has been extended from 1 month to a 3-month run! You'll have plenty of time to come down and see all the great location photographs and meet the artists as they sit the show on the weekends.







BUILDING STOREYS 2010

A Photo Exhibit of Toronto's Industrial Past
Now Running Until April 25th, 2010!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/02/building-storeys.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29

Vote For My Pic

I was lucky enough to make it as a finalist in ECO Canada Photo Contest. My image is of a scenic view along the Ice Fields Parkway, Jasper provincial Park - under the category " Landscapes # 1 Toni Wallachy”.

If you feel it is the best of the section please cast a vote daily until 2 March 10 or even one vote would be great. Thanks for your time and votes, much appreciated.

http://www.eco.ca/Portal/viewContent.aspx?display=landscapesvote

Thou Shall Not Die and be Forgotten

I have another success to share with you all. My 1st photo essay competition ever - I walked away with an Honourable Mention. Not too shabby for a newbie.

The key message here is - to always be confident in your work and not be afraid to branch out and try new things. This is how we grow and challenge ourselves.

This is just a snipet of the full version - you can watch the full version on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6vTHJqU8vg

A Rustic Beauty

_MG_8627_8_9-Edit
Originally uploaded by Toni Wallachy

An abandoned church in the heart of Buffalo, that fuses to go down without a fight.

It's always a crap shot when heading south of the border to explore aged gems. One never knows what will be accessible and what won't. With a small list of possible interest points, we found ourselves very quickly spinning our wheels on a heavily snow drift road. If not for the aid of a few ice fisherman nearby, it would have been a photo bust for the day.

Transfiguration Church at the corner of Sycamore and Mills, was the last on our list of treasures. But was by far the most interesting and photogenic. When you look around there are still tell tale signs of grandeur - gold leaf decals, hand painted motifs, and subtle stone carvings on the columns that lead the eye high above to gothic arches.

With a history that dates back to 1897, and a present that challenges officials to decide her fate before she come crashing down.

http://www.buffalonews.com/367/story/862314.html

http://artvoice.com/issues/v6n31/fall_from_grace#SlideFrame_0

Yesterday evening was the opening reception for our second installation of Building Storeys at the Gladstone Hotel. The air was abuzz with anticipation even before the doors were open to the public as the the staff of Heritage Toronto readied the 2nd floor for the evening's festivities, while the photographers looked to the finishing touches on the 3rd and 4th floor galleries. Photos were straightened, labels were checked, artist bios were put out - all in time for guests to arrive.

By 7pm, the main reception hall was filling up with familiar faces from the City - those we had worked with to photograph the sites - heritage and arts supporters, special guests from our sponsorship, the media, and our always supportive friends and family. With wine in hand, we were ready for the speeches to begin.

Mayor David Miller - who's office was responsible for getting us access to 90% of the buildings in the exhibit this year - spoke about the city's industrial foundations and how these facilities and works buildings were built not just for function but with great craft and design. It was great to see him at our exhibit, publicly supporting heritage preservation at a time when so many historic architectural gems in Toronto and nearby cities are being erased from our landscape.
Carlos Pimentel and Aldo Bucitti from the

Carpenters Union spoke about their close connection to this year's show - almost all the buildings in the exhibit were built by the Carpenters Union as well as Maple Leaf Gardens, which was featured in last year's exhibit. It was a unique opportunity for them to see their buildings showcased from a fine art perspective instead of through an engineer's eye.

To encourage a dialogue between the guests and the photographers, we scheduled a series of artist's talks throughout the evening on both floors of the exhibit, allowing the guests to learn more about the buildings, the photographer's process, give time for some Q&A. Robert Dyke started the talks off on the 3rd floor with a session on the

Wellington Destructor while Toni Wallachy spoke with guests about the Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant on the 4th floor. Part way through the evening, Timothy Neesam regaled a captive audience with stories of the RC Harris Water Treatment Plant on the 3rd floor, while Rick Harris spoke about the Toronto Island Water Treatment Plant on the 4th floor. At the end of the evening, Mathew Merrett and I intrigued listeners with tales of R.L. Hearn Generating Station and Commissioners Street Waste Transfer.

Before anyone knew it, the doors were closing on the exhibit, the bar was packing up, the hors d'oeuvres were gone, shoes were coming off sore and tired feet, and the evening was coming to a close.

After the success of our 2009 exhibit, Building Storeys 2010 arrives Feb 4th for a longer stay at the Gladstone Hotel!

A collaborative effort by Heritage Toronto and members of the photography groups the Shadow Collective and the DK Photo Group, Building Storeys is a visual documentation and anecdotal exhibit of city's heritage building and sites. By showcasing some of Toronto's industrial past we hope to change the perception of heritage in our city, by revealing some of the hidden beauty of these sites.




www.buildingstoreys.com


Thursday, February 4 - Saturday, February 27th, 2010

The Gladstone Hotel
3rd & 4th Floors
1214 Queen Street West
Show hours: 12:00 - 5:00 pm dailyCost: Free