Capturing life as it is

Ülle and I

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The 20th of August has been always a special day for Estonians. It marks our re-independence day. In 2011 this day got another meaning to me. Ülle, a big-hearted Estonian who had made life in Toronto, Canada, had offered me work and kindness, is celebrating her birthday on the same day. What made the birthday more special was that my birthday was just five days before and we both are Leo’s. We always got along and had fun. It was a huge learning curve for me working for her.

Unfortunately, this year, Ülle is no longer with us to celebrate her birthday. This year there was a birthday for her without her. It was very sad. I loved being part of her family and enjoyed her close one’s company, but I really missed her. And I still do. Not a day goes by without me thinking of her.

I usually do not post blurry photos, but I had kept this from 2011, just a few weeks after I started to get to know Ülle. She is captured in her usual rush – she is here and then she is gone. This moment I will cherish forever, as we were both captured at the same moment!

August work getaway

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I am blessed to be working at a job, which offers me always a variety of different tasks. Also surprises and challenges, so I never get bored. One interesting assignment is the house visits. There are many Estonians who fled from the World War to Canada, living all around the country. They get old or they pass, and the descendants are left with various Estonian memorabilia, which is looking for a new home.

It is wonderful to be welcomed to strangers’ homes to go through their items, which are oftentimes so beautifully arranged and displayed. It shows the owner’s appreciation of the items representing their home country and pride in being Estonian.

Pictured is a photo of Ene-Liis’ home, specifically her dining room. On its table, she had laid out all of the items she no longer wishes to keep, but which represent her travel to Canada from Estonia, gifts brought from there or items her mom used to make. In one word – history. Not just her or her family’s, but the history of Estonians who found a new home in Canada.

Museums are into preserving the people’s or countries’ heritage. So there are always items they are looking for, not only these but also the stories behind the items. VEMU got a nice collection of items and stories from Ene-Liis’ kind donation. These items will preserve the history and display the life of many people in the museum, which allow other people to get to know more about the Estonian diaspora in Canada.

July Pride!

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Though June was an official Pride month, then usually the beginning of July marks the big Pride parade in Toronto. What a beautiful and sad month June was, as there was so much joy and so much grief due to the passing of Ülle.

I have always taken my time to visit the Pride parade. There are some years when it is not so good and then there are years when the parade leaves a really good impression, like this year. It was well organized, it was flowing and they gave away lots of nice freebies. I usually do not care about random knick-knacks, but some practical things like fanny packs, hats and bags and even some cute buttons, I appreciate a lot.

I chose this photo to represent this year’s parade, as you can see two races here and they are not white Caucasians. Makes me so happy to see different colours and different races, being proud of who they are and spreading the love.

If you want to know more about Pride and the meaning and read news etc, then please check this website www.pride.com.

Estonian House in Toronto is no more

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Today, the first of November, 2022 marks the end of the wonderful Estonian House in Toronto. After a long, confusing, secretive and emotional selling process, the current contract between the developer, who purchased the lot quite cheaply and the Estonian House Limited Company, has finished. After the sale of the house, the limited company was renting the building from their new owner. As of yesterday, all renters had moved out, and the whole building had been emptied and is no longer accessible to the Estonian community and other friends of the house.

Former building of the Estonian House in Toronto on Broadview Avenue in Toronto during its last few days.

I have had perhaps consecutively 5-6 years of experience at the Estonian House. But somehow the building with its old glory, activities and people has found a warm place in my heart so that this very same heart is full of sorrow, sadness and also a bit of anger. The closing down means a lot to me, I guess this also explains why I have spent and will spend my time promoting the legacy of the building which stood for more than 60 years at Broadview Avenue in Toronto.

I had a photography exhibition of the not-so-known rooms of the house, which was open from May to October. I will present a new gallery of the other photos, which didn’t make it to the exhibition in the next few days. For now, please let me share a little bit of information about Toronto Estonian House history.

Toronto Estonian House

The Toronto Estonian House was located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was established in 1952 as a limited company of the same name. The building has served Toronto’s Estonian community at 958 Broadview Avenue from 1960 until the 31st of October, 2022.

Dozens of different associations and clubs were established over the years and held meetings and events at this location. As well, an Estonian café run by various owners as well as a gift shop selling Estonian artifacts operated until very recently. The building contains halls and rooms of different sizes where both Estonian and other Canadian organizations held events. Almost every Estonian in Canada has had the opportunity at one time or another to visit the building or attend concerts, exhibitions, confirmation parties or weddings here. Many choirs, folk dance groups and Scouts and Guides, Estonian kindergarten, the Estonian Supplementary School and the Pensioners Club considered the Toronto Estonian House as their home. Many of the Toronto Estonian Supplementary Schools graduates continue to be active members of the community.

Two Estonian-owned businesses, Northern Birch Credit Union (formerly Estonian (Toronto) Credit Union Ltd.) as well as Heinsoo Insurance Brokers Ltd, were major tenants of the building. Heinsoo Insurance Brokers also contained the offices of the Honorary Consulate of Estonia from 1976 until the present. Canada recognized the illegal occupation of Estonia defacto and allowed it to operate dejure until 1991 when the new Estonian government re-established the diplomatic connection with the Consulate and the Hon. Consul General Ilmar Heinsoo. Heinsoo Insurance continues to support the Consulate to this day.

Activity in Estonian organizations has resulted in lifelong friendships and marriages and even employment in the Estonian House and the opportunity to continue to use our mother tongue here.

Activities of the Toronto Estonian House have ceased at its current address with the move to central Toronto, next to Tartu College at Bloor and Madison Avenue. The construction of the new building which began in the spring of 2022, is expected to be completed in the next year and a half.

The time has arrived to close the final chapter of the Toronto Estonian House at this location.

Eesti Maja, you are forever deep in my heart!

Rochdale College

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A little while ago I was asked to take a photo of the Rochdale College on Bloor Steer West in Toronto. It is always a challenge to get the high buildings in the photo in their glory. I tried from the top floor of Tartu College, but it didn’t work out due to a really sharp angle, as the Tartu building was too far away.

Why it is so important for me to make a post about taking a photo of a building? First its history and second the architect who designed it.

The 18-storey tower that once housed Rochdale at 341 Bloor Street is now known as the Senator David A. Croll Apartments. Completed in 1968, it is the sister building to the Tartu student residence a short distance west across Bloor street. Designed by the architects Elmar Tampõld and John Wells (who had earlier constructed the Charles Street Apartments at Bay Street and Bloor Street).

Elmar Tampõld was an Estonian, who also designed Tartu College, which is now a very successful co-op run by a small group of Estonians, with an archive, Estonian Studies Centre, library, and event spaces under the 18 floor dorm.

As an homage to its Rochdale days, the tower features the large Unknown Student sculpture out front.

Just read more about the building and its history from this article HERE, from 1980.

This is the best I got of Rochdale College:

Fun fact: since the building has such a great space for large billboards, Apple seems to have made a contract that only they are presenting their ads on the building. Driving from West to East one gets a “slap on the face” with their ads.

Video shoot on the 18th floor

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I love challenges, perhaps not so much in life, except when something needs repairing. So it was a great pleasure for me to get an offer to film a live performance of Kaili Kinnon on top of Tartu College‘s rooftop.

View to Bloor Street West

Kaili Kinnon is a Canadian singer with Estonian roots. She felt at home on top of the world, while also performing some songs in Estonian.

Kaili Kinnon performing on top of Tartu College

Though the performance was great, I was challenging myself, as I did videography. This is a relatively new field for me, but I was able to use my skills as a photographer there. The main attraction during intermission and before and after the recording was of course the view of the city. From such height, Toronto seems so small.

Downtown Toronto

I had fun working with a bunch of young people, who all gave their best to make the shoot run as smooth as possible.

“Canadian Estonians – in light and shadow” photography exhibition

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My long-time photography project has finally become a reality, as I can proudly present my high quality black and white portraits taken in Toronto of the thirteen local Estonian community members. It was a great joy to meet all these people, to hear their life stories, see the passion, when they spoke about Estonia. Due to funding problems, it took five years to get this exhibition to happen. I am very thankful for The Museum of Estonians Abroad (VEMU), who gave their helping hand to acquire the frames and print the photos. Helle-Mari Märtson helped to edit the texts and Arp Karm helped to install the exhibition. I am very thankful for all your contributions to this exhibition.

“Canadian Estonians – in light and shadow” is opened in the great-looking Tartu train station, which is located in Vaksali street 6 and is opened every day from 6 AM to 8 PM. Please go and have a look, unfortunately the texts are in Estonian, but I am willing to translate anything if there is a need. Exhibition will be up until 8th of January, 2017. Your visit to the train station is appreciated and I would love to hear your feedback.

Check the opening gallery HERE.

Published article in Eestielu.ca.

“H2O” photography exhibition in Tartu Public Library

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I have my H20 exhibition opened again, but this time in Tartu Public Library, also at the same time the new exhibition has been presented by my students called “Known/Unknown”. I also have two photos up in that exhibition, which is opened at the same place, at the library, but on 2nd floor, while mine can be visited on 3rd floor.

My friends in Estonia may find this exhibition already familiar, which is true, as I presented the exhibition as a part of five photographers photo sale and show “Vaba Teema” in the end of 2014. Recently a large Estonian community in Toronto saw the exhibition dedicated to an important part of our lives – water. We take it for granted, but when it is gone even for an hour, it is greatly missed! I have been showing this exhibition a lot, as I want more people to see it and be more aware of water.

Exhibition consists of seven framed and matted color photographs, which portray water in its different forms. Each photo is carrying a specific color of a rainbow.

All photos exhibited can be purchased as simple photo prints or framed and matted.

NB! The exhibition is opened until 15th of October, during the opening hours of Public Library: Monday to Friday at 9 AM to 8 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM.

H2O exhibition poster

Toronto Pride 2016

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I had a great pleasure to shoot Toronto Pride 2016.

I really loved to see all these people marching for what they believe in.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was there too and had lots of fun. Pictured here is my favorite shot, but there are many other good ones, which you can see at the following gallery while clicking on the photo.

Toronto Pride 2016