Art is everywhere, if you choose to look.
Lately, as the weather becomes a slightly more pleasurable each day, I am taking the opportunity to get back out on the streets of Toronto to observe what really happens here.
Last Thursday, on the way to an appointment, I was fortunate to notice something I had never seen before.
Just about any day you’ll find Ross Ward hunched over on Yonge Street tending to his art. The ‘Birdman of Toronto’ has been a fixture on these streets in various locations for well over a decade, and during each day he crafts, and sells, palm-sized birds.
Once only a hobby — this is now more than whittling — Ward carves out shapes of common birds from reclaimed wood. There is always a piece in progress, and always a small flock for sale on his concrete workspace.
Perhaps in our day-to-day journeys, we don’t look close enough at all the people. We don’t often observe enough to see art just happening here and there on our landscape. I’ve wandered this street how many times and only last week did I notice the man. I saw him again on the weekend.
Appreciating the beauty of his work, I bought a bird as a gift for someone . . . or maybe a souvenir for myself to one day remember my time in this city.
Couldn’t we all use more memorable hand-made art?
Mondays are just young Fridays
When did we stop looking up,
for no real reason, instead of
looking ahead or over to see
what’s coming?
Or looking up only to see
a sight, an attraction, even to
follow a voice, a plane, a bird,
a cry from above; rather than
lifting our eyes to the sky to
feel the sun on our face, or a
few spontaneous raindrops
unexpectedly refreshing
our soul. Feeling the awe.
Remember, as a kid, having
the time to look up and watch
clouds, or stars, or fireflies,
not even thinking what was
there, but knowing it was
important. Right there.
When did that stop?
Why did that stop?
Do you still wonder?
Today.
Look up. Look further than
what is there. Open your eyes,
unconsciously, and don’t even
think about anything except
being there.
Be there.
Get outside.
Look higher.
05/17/2021 j.g.l.