TORONTO ARTS WEEK, 1987.
THE INAGURAL EVENT,

CLICK Above left: Posing at more of the almost 100 transit shelters which displayed "MY HONEY and ME"

CLICK Above right: LAURENCE CHERNIAK and the MIMES (is a link you might like to click on for a humorous True Story about the painting "MY HONEY and ME" as well as see the original painting which is different than what you are seeing in the transit shelter above and to the left).

The above right photo was taken on the evening of the 1st Annual Toronto Arts Week's Awards Presentations. This painting continues to be one of the major spring boards to the success of LAURENCE's continuing career. Mr. Cherniak donated the use of "MY HONEY and ME" to the City of Toronto in 1987 "to launch the 1st Annual Toronto Arts Week. (Since "MY HONEY and ME" has been reproduced over10 million times).


During the month of October 1987 Mr. Cherniak's paintings and prints of his paintings were on exhibit in 22 locations at the same time in the city of Toronto. Almost 100 transit shelters had 4 by 6 foot posters. For the fun of the memories we tracked many of them down as historical moments of the artist posing and having fun.

There were also another 6,000 medium size posters that were plastered all over the contruction hoardings and hundreds of other locations like cafes, retaurants, libraries, schools, peoples homes; you name it. "My Honey and Me" was everywhere.

As well there were 10's of thousands of a smaller size poster, 8.5" by 11" in a so many places we just couldn't go to bed without seeing "MY HONEY and ME" in all our dreams.

Toronto Life magazine featured a great two page spread which will be a part of sharing these celebrations with you. (to be cont'd and for which we thank you for your interest and kind support)

During the summer of 1987 NOW MAGAZINE Toronto's largest weekly magazine featured several pages during the months leading up to the First Annual Toronto Arts Week.

SUMMER OF '87: 2 page centerfold pullout: Toronto's largest weekly NOW MAGAZINE:

Ultimately we met one of the vice presidents of Mediacom, the company that was responsible for the giant 4 by 6 foot posters being displayed in the transit shelters, major store windows and inside department stores. The first words out of his mouth however were. "So, you're the guy who's been causing us all this trouble." My reputation preceded me once again. He simply had to make it clear that there's always a little salt that comes with all the honey that we were getting because Mediacom, the company that had done these large posters, had run up extra expenses changing the locking systems in the public places. People were finding a way to break in and steal the posters. He told us they had to change the locking systems just because of "My Honey and Me."

This painting has lead to several important appointments including serving, in 1988-9, as the founding art curator to The City of Toronto's MTCVA (Metropolitan Toronto Convention & Visitors Association) where he installed as many as 15 to 20 artist's work every 6 weeks.

Left: Inside Simpsons Sears main store.

Above: Outside Simpsons Sears main store's display windows.
The success and history of the original painting entitled "My Honey and Me" also led to Mr. Cherniak undertaking to do a portrait painting of Toronto's First Family, Mr. & Mrs Art Eggleton, The Mayor of Toronto for over 10 years. It all began with a photo shoot, on a beautiful, sunny, Wednesday, October 12, 1988, at the new Toronto City Hall where the Mayor and his wife posed for their portrait to be done.
info@laurencecherniak.com
CLICK here for home page of laurenceCHERNIAK.COM