French Toile and Montreal

I am in a great mood...you know that anxious/excited feeling you get days before a vacation?...that is how I am feeling today! I am anxiously waiting on a weekend getaway with Nick to Montreal. We went last year for my 30th birthday and decided to do it again this year. So for my 31st, we will ring it in like the French do! French Canadians that is...


Picnic 30th birthday lunch in Montreal. And
oddly enough, my house offer was accepted that same day...

 I became an adult quickly over night.

Nick standing in front of his graffiti art in Montreal. Still thriving years after
the install.



Nick is also jazzed for the weekend away. He's been working day and night for his upcoming art show at Defacto at Mulberry. He needs a break, badly. Things are shaping up though....frames are built, assembled and complete...his furniture installation piece is the last project on the go to complete the show.


Frames handcrafted by the artist himself, Nicholas Hamilton Holmes.



Working away in his studio, finishing up his furniture
installation.

I have been helping him where I can. One of our "together" tasks was to find a wallpaper to install behind his furniture pieces, so I was a natural fit to source this out. We headed down to Ottawa St, where we hit up a few stores. We ended up with a French Toile motif.


French Toile Wallpaper

The reason behind the Toile pattern?...It's a historic print and brings a sense of nostalgia to the wall hangings Nick will install. Toile, or Toile du Jouy was originally made in a factory near Versailles, France in the early 19th century. Classic Toile is made on linen or cotton fabric with prints of landscapes and figures. Traditionally, Toile has been most commonly used in French style interiors, but today, this pattern is infused in many different mediums and cultures. Maybe I will find some Toile while we are in Montreal...ya think?


French inspired interior with Toile wallpaper.
via


Toile hits the runway.
via

Samples of Toile
via

For those of you in the Hamilton and GTA area, please come and see the Toile, photography and furniture pieces at Nick's show. And if you do come, please say hi to me, the girl working the room. And for those who can't make it...I will blog about the event in the coming weeks. I wouldn't want you to miss out.

Show Info:
Hamilton Holmes Art Show: Photography, Handmade Frames and Furniture Accents
June 8th, 2012
7pm-11pm

Defacto at Mulberry -DFM
193 James St North
Hamilton ON


Alright, I am out of here or as the french would say...À bientôt!