The Mural: CNIB Dreams

Located at 1525 Yonge Street, Toronto

I had the opportunity to photograph Leyland Adams in front of his incredible mural located at the CNIB GTA Community Hub. Leyland is at the forefront of making art more accessible for all and his practice “prioritizes accessibility through the integration of tactile, sensory, and audio descriptive technology”. This is accomplished through the use of various textures found throughout the piece.

I loved hearing how at the official unveiling blind children were able to describe what they perceived in the mural, and how they could easily identify that there were trees, rocks, and water on this magnificent cityscape.

As Leyland says, the beauty is that this “type of art creates opportunities for discussions around accessibility and generates understanding by allowing people to see, hear and feel things they otherwise might be excluded from.”

The Rescue Dog: Sunny

This project also gave me the opportunity to meet Leyland’s beautiful dog, Sunny. More than just a loyal companion, she’s family.

As a pet photographer who loves Toronto and its dogs, it was only natural that I capture the bond between them with the mural as a spectacular background. What made the moment even more special was when I learned that Sunny came into Leyland’s life through Fetch + Releash, the very rescue organization that I regularly volunteer with. It was a heartwarming bit of serendipity where the many worlds I live in came together.

If you are in the area, please come down to Stackt Market to see these images printed on BIG 8ft x 4ft panels. Come see these and the other participating artists featuring the murals found in our great city.