"Katrina Tompkins gets playful at Come up To My Room"

Katrina Tompkins
By Andrew Sardone

Every year a few overachievers like Katrina Tompkins take on a heap of Design Week projects. The furniture maker has a piece in Capacity (Take 5, page 30) and has already participated in Toronto Design Offsite’s PechaKucha Night and the Design Exchange’s Making It talks.

When I met up with her at her garage studio tucked behind the Dufferin Mall, though, the project that got her giddiest is an installation in collaboration with painter Janna Watson at the Gladstone for its Come Up To My Room exhibition (page 28).

“I’ve been waiting five years to do this,” she says, admitting that the anticipation has made sticking with one concept tricky. Tompkins describes the final space in room 212 as a playful and conceptual mix of elements, including a rug inspired by one of Watson’s canvases, boards that have been burned, sandblasted and painted, and curls of orange wood chips.

After CUTMR closes, she moves on to an even bigger project: opening a store and café in the new Academy of Lions gym on Ossington with her Tinsel & Sawdust partners Watson, designer Amy Markanda and foodie Mandy Ridley. She calls the concept “experiential retail” and says that rather than merchandising products in a traditional way, café customers will use pieces – chairs and tables, for example – that are for sale.

“We put out a call for products from young, local makers,” she says. “We want to show people that design is actually quite accessible.”
NOW | January 26-February 2, 2012 | VOL 31 NO 22

Bau-Xi Gallery
340 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON M5T 1G5
(416) 977-0600
www.bau-xi.com/

Art – Design – Furniture – Ceramics – Textiles – Lighting – Glass – Toys – Jewelry – Objects – Oddities

Tinsel & Sawdust AND Academy of Lions are teaming up to create:

ACADEMY OF LIONS // GENERAL STORE

at Ossington Avenue and Queen St. W, Toronto

“a hybrid ʻCafe Shopʼ showing works by local Designer / Makers”

details:
The ACADEMY OF LIONS // GENERAL STORE is a retail/exhibition opportunity for
Designer/Makers working in all mediums, offering a wide range of products. The
GENERAL STORE will function as a cafe and hub to the expansive community that
occupies the 9000 sq.f. building.

The concept: Objects are integrated into the daily function of the cafe, creating an
experiential retail environment. Cafe patrons can ʻlive withʼ the staged objects on
display during their time at the cafe and can then opt to either purchase objects off the
floor or commission the designer/maker for a remake. There will also be shelving in the
cafe for display of light duty objects like cards, jewelry, etc.

Designer/Makers are invited to submit finished works or create new work to meet the
demands of the space.

Designer/Makers are encouraged to use locally sourced materials, local services,
Canadian made equipment and recycled goods to create their work, with a clear intent
of natural and honest design. Since the work will be ʻtestedʼ by users on a daily basis,
we encourage you to create works that can age well, that are strong and sturdy.

KEY IDEAS: reclaimed wood, metal, thickness, strength, utility, rustic charm, vintage
mountaineering, communal, industrial, winter boots, Toronto.
A collection of new works will be selected seasonally and launched with quarterly
Exhibition Openings, meaning the space will be constantly evolving with works coming,
going, and selling.

[ Examples of how contributors’ works will be used:
a potter submits 20 mugs, 10 of the mugs are in cafe circulation and 10 are on
display. a metalworker makes a coat rack that a customer purchases right off the
floor. a textile artist makes 6 pillows, 2 are on the sofa, 4 are on display. a furniture
maker shows their prototype and makes custom orders on demand]

All works will be on consignment. As with gallery representation, a portion of the profits
will fund and advertise the project. Details of the terms and a contract will follow.

dates, contact and important information:
please send up to 5 images of finished work or proposals and a brief about yourself/
team by December 20th for consideration in the Winter 12 Collection. We will confirm
your participation by December 23rd and send a contract of terms and agreements.
Keep in mind works will have to be delivered onsite January 10th and 11th.
If you would like direction with required items please include this request in your email.
High demand items include seating, tables, lighting.

please send information to: submissions@tinselandsawdust.com with a subject that
describes your submission(s), ie: Rug, or Desk Lamp

about The Academy of Lions:
The Academy Of Lions was founded in 2008 by life-long friends Dhani Oks and Sohail
Bastani who saw a need in our community for more traditional values in approaches to
lifestyle, health and design.

The goal of the Academy is to offer the highest quality services and goods for a thriving
metropolitan community. Our focus is on providing fitness through traditional
athletics; nutrition through local and sustainable sources; lifestyle goods from
local artisans and designers.

The Academy is a staple of the west end community and will further grow in 2012 with a
move into a new 3 story, 9000sf home at Ossington and Queen. This new location will
reflect the values and aesthetics of the neighbourhood. It will feature a street level
“General Store” that will operate as a cafe/social space and offer foods, furniture,
fashions and artisan lifestyle goods. 200-300 people will come through the space on a
daily basis and everything in the space can be interacted with and purchased; making it
a “Functional Gallery” for artisan goods.

The Academy Of Lions fitness and health space is devoted to high quality athletics that
is suited to every lifestyle and pursuit. The space is reminiscent of old-fashion
gymnasiums, and the raw, natural feel makes it a unique environment to train in. Also,
The Academy of Lions facilitates various youth and community focused projects.

about Tinsel & Sawdust:
A multidisciplinary collective of people who are interested in work which improves the
quality of life of both maker and user. Focused on locality, good design and integrity,
Tinsel & Sawdust is MADE IN TORONTO.

The LIONS // GENERAL STORE project will be co-curated by Katrina Tompkins
(furniture/wood), Janna Watson (art, sculpture, textiles), Amy Markanda (design and
fabrication) and Mandy Ridley (food and culture).

Thank you for your submissions. We look forward to showcasing
what you (Toronto’s wildly talented creatives) can do.

T&S

www.tinselandsawdust.com www.academyoflions.com