Bob Taylor and a local Toronto artist named Jen Masters have come to a bit of an unusual, yet symbiotic, relationship. Bob, the owner of the hip Café 260 on Richmond Street East, first became involved in Toronto’s underground art scene almost by accident when he opened the café in 2007. Soon after opening, a cozy little art gallery and George Brown College opened right next door.
He saw the exposed brick walls inside the café, walls that were bare, and figured there had to be a better way of utilizing them. With a gallery next door, Bob got the idea that young, emerging artists needed their own chance at forging a career, so he offered up his wall space to them at no charge. One of those artists who took him up on his offer was Jen from George Brown, a student whose sketched portraits of women are drawn with little number 9s.
“About five years ago,” says Bob, “[Jen] came in and said, ‘Would you be interested in giving our art class a wall to display our work on?’ And I said, ‘Sure, go ahead!’” Jen’s and other students’ work have been on Bob’s spare walls since, available for sale with the full proceeds going to the artist.
