TORONTO, May 24, 2012 /CNW/ - With hundreds of signs around the city, AutoShare is one of the largest owners of downtown street-visible parking signs. When designing their new generation of reserved parking signs, the local carsharing company gave 250 blank canvases to five of their favourite Toronto street artists. "Keys to Wonderful" is simply a new expression of the way that AutoShare has always felt about Toronto and the company's role in helping people get around. The result? Beautiful art for all on Toronto streets.
AutoShare's goal is to bring the wonders of Toronto's neighbourhood back alleys into the forefront. "We see a wonderful transformation going on within our city and we can play a role here. We have over 400 signs in parking lots all over downtown Toronto. We decided we should use these canvases to bring beautiful art to the downtown Toronto streets", says AutoShare president and founder Kevin McLaughlin. "Street art is about vibrancy, as well as beauty, so we gave the five artists one very simple instruction: do whatever you like." The artists used colours, shapes, shadows and light to make patterns and images that reflect the city, as they know it.
"Keys to Wonderful" is designed with the intention that Torontonians will discover something new - and wonderful - about their city. The artists used various forms of media including spray paint, silk screens, decoupage, and acrylic paints to create their individual pieces. "It's exciting to be part of a project that is creating beauty to the city. AutoShare has been cool enough to share their space with local artists rather then just use these signs as simple advertisement," said graffiti artist Deadboy, recently recognized for his Rob Ford spray-paint work in the last year. "More communication like this needs to happen between street/graffiti artists and the businesses and communities around them. We can make this city look beautiful if companies give something back the way AutoShare is doing with this project."
The "Keys to Wonderful" project launches on Saturday May 26th, at Queen Street West and Fennings Street (two streets west of Ossington), AutoShare will unveil the Wonderful Signs that will be installed across 150 lots in Toronto. The artists will be performing live demonstrations of how they created many of the signs and the public is invited to create their own Wonderful sign. In turn, the artists will vote on the best sign painted by a member of the public that day, and it will be used in a Toronto neighbourhood.
The artists include:
"The artists share the love for Toronto that we here at AutoShare have," says McLauglin. "While we help our members take in all the great ideas in Toronto, from your favourite grocery store, to errands or work appointments, they are creating great ideas in the city for people to enjoy."
About AutoShare:
Founded in 1998 and 100% locally owned, AutoShare is Toronto's local independent car company, designed for life in our wonderful city. The company pioneered carsharing in the GTA, starting in 1998 with a commitment to being part of the transit-system. With vehicles at over 150 locations across Toronto and Mississauga, AutoShare's 12,000 members can choose from a variety of vehicles starting at $7.25/hr including gas and insurance. AutoShare prides itself on having the greenest rental fleet in the GTA, the most cars per member of any shared fleet, and our members build their insurance record with the kind of insurance that they would buy for themselves. AutoShare.com/wonderful
Image with caption: "AutoShare announces "Keys to Wonderful" by collaborating with local street artists on the design and creation of 250 unique parking signs installed across Toronto. (CNW Group/AutoShare)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120524_C2235_PHOTO_EN_14115.jpg
Kevin McLaughlin, President
Office: 416.340.7888 x4502
Mobile: 416.816.3037
Agata Kazimierski, Marketing and Communications Manager
Office: 416.340.7888 x4506
Mobile: 416.878.1066
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