Silo at 8 Mowat Ave & Hopper at 159 Dufferin St.

Lovegates’ silo playfully piles on a diverse group of characters as they climb on top of each other and hang from the ‘South Liberty Trail’ text. The collaborative process of painting characters inspired by locals was used to inform the final paintings.
Similarly, his hopper showcases portraits of four local residents in motion on Dufferin Street interspersed with vibrant backgrounds. Each portrait draws from characters photographed by the artist during his visit. Lovegates’ hopper reveals the current dynamic population passing through this thriving Toronto destination on a daily basis.This inclusive design approach creates a sense of local ownership with the community residents acting as integral cornerstones in the foundation of the project. Lovegates’ work characteristically emphasizes vibrant patterns in subjects’ clothing, our fresh dimples and wizened creases. His rendering shows details in black and white lines revealing the folds of his characters’ faces and the colours of their clusters pouring out of his skilled hands and engaging the audience in a charmingly sincere way.