Sunnyside of the Street
Kyle Stewart
As a Hamilton resident who lives on Barton Street, I feel a very strong and personal connection to the revitalization of this street and the resurgence of this city. My contribution Sunnyside of the Street for ‘Anything is possible on Barton’ is to highlight the importance of checking in on friends and neighbours as well as yourself. That through these two busy and chaotic compositions, a small blank space is revealed to take a moment and reflect with the text, “You are here. You are supposed to be here. I am glad you are here.” And “I am here. I am supposed to be here. I am glad I am here.” These messages are to be viewed in two perspectives. On a personal level as a reflection and reassurance of mental health and belonging. As well as a community aspect in which residents who called Barton St home deserve to stay and thrive, and not be pushed out by rent increases and development. The theme and positive message from these two paintings hopefully encourage the viewer to reach out to friends, family, and look inwards.
Kyle Stewart is a visual artist from Hamilton, Ontario. He graduated from OCAD University with a Bachelor of Design in Illustration where he was the recipient of the Nora E Vaughn Award and Program Medal. His artistic approach allows him to toe a line between high and low brow that resonates with a collective nostalgia. Heavily influenced by history, popular culture, nature, and more, he works in mixed media’s that vary from small collages to installations to wall murals. His work is very energetic and therefore spontaneous and at times chaotic. Kyle’s art practice has a strong emphasis on exploration and experimentation where the process in the studio can be just as important as the finished work.
312 Barton St. E
The ‘Anything is Possible on Barton’ exhibition is a neighbourhood wide art project that was selected for the Government of Canada’s My Main Street Community Activator program. This project is organized by the Barton Village BIA and funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and the City of Hamilton. Thank you to the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and the Canadian Urban Institute for supporting local communities and revitalizing our main streets.
Please check out the other 14 installations HERE.
