Bellbox - On vacation

 

Location: Wellington Street at Niagara

Date photo taken: 11 November 2021

Image #18 in the Bellbox Series

This mural is for everyone dreaming of a sunny escape from this snowy February weather.  You can thank artist Steven Twigg and Community Matters, the non-profit that runs the Bell Box Murals Program.

Bell Box - The Golden Frogs

 

Location: Simpson Avenue

Date photo taken: 16 October 2021

Image #17 in the Bellbox Series

A colourful and super cute Bell Box to liven up this steamy August week. These frogs, the work of Colombian-born, Toronto-based artist Andrea Rodriguez, if real, would probably love this weather! 

Bell Box - Angel Carrillo

 

Location: Morrison Street

Date photo taken: 24 March 2022

Image #16 in the Bellbox Series

Here's another painted Bell box courtesy of the Bell Boxes Murals Project, a nonprofit street art program. This one is in New Toronto and was done in 2021. The artist is Angel Carrillo and if you love the style, he also happens to be a tattoo artist and co-owner of Southside Ink. 

Bell Box - Long Branch Public Library

 

Location: Thirty Second Street at Lakeshore

Date photo taken: 10 July 2021 

Image #15 in the Bellbox Series

The mural on this Bell Box is an ode to books and to the Long Branch Public Library, which it sits just beside. This branch was opened on May 26, 1955 by the Village of Long Branch. In 1967 it was taken over by the Etobicoke Public Library Board when the Village amalgamated with the Township of Etobicoke, and in 1998 it became part of the Toronto Public Library system. The branch is home to the Long Branch Historical Society Local History Collection as well as a large collection of materials in Polish, and an art exhibition space. 

The mural is the work of Naz Nahidi and was painted as part of the Bell Box Murals Project in 2020.

Bell Box - Neighbourhoodie

 

Location: Wellington Street West at Niagara

Date photo taken: 11 November 2021

Image #14 in the Bellbox Series

Here's another Bell Box painted through Community Matters and their street art program. It was done in 2018 by Toronto-based illustrator Tak Bui. 

I love to discover these mini murals as I wander around the city, but if you wanted to plan a walk, there is now a map available showing the locations of the more than 450 boxes painted to date. 

Bell Box - Natasha Dichpan

 

Location: Logan between Gerrard and Dundas

Date photo taken: 16 October 2021

Image# 13 in the Bellbox Series

I just love this majestic looking fox. It's the work of artist Natasha Dichpan (@the_illust) and was painted as part of the Bell Box Murals Project in 2020.

Just Hanging Out

 

Location: Sewells Road

Date photo taken: 13 March 2021

Image #12 in the Bellbox Series

This cute and colourful collection of critters is painted on a Bell Box in Scarborough. It was likely done as part of a Mural Routes project in 2014. I love the odd assembly of animals and the simple style, but I have to admit that part of my brain insists on pointing out that they're not social distancing. 

Bell Box - Michael Cavanaugh

Location: Isabella Street, east of Yonge
Date photo taken: 27 December 2018
Image #11 in the Bellbox Series

This fresco, seemingly damaged by the ravages of time, was painted as part of the 2016 Bell Box Murals Project. The artist, Michael Cavanaugh, started the program back in 2009 and in 2018 was recognized with an Urban Hero award for his contribution to the city. While similar in concept to the Outside the Box program initiated in 2013 and run by StreetARToronto, this program remains an independent art project, carried out in partnership with Bell Canada.

Bell Box - Natasha Kudashkina

Location: 70 Berkeley St., just south of Adelaide

Date photo taken: 15 September 2013

Image #10 in the Bellbox Series

This is a detail from another painted Bell box, this one outside 70 Berkeley Street, the home of the Alumnae Theatre. The artist, Natasha Kudashkina, was given the theme of Commedia dell'arte and she has used her box to tell a story. The scene as seen from the street starts the tale, and the back, closer to the theatre, presents the conclusion. Can you guess which side this is from?

There's a video of the work in progress on the artist's website.

Bell Box - Viviana Astudillo

Location: Princess St., south of Front
Date photo taken: 16 September 2013
Image #9 in the Bellbox Series

This mural of Salmon is by Viviana Astudillo and is another in the series of painted Bell boxes across the city. It was painted in September 2013 as part of the Bell Box Murals Project. This summer, StreetARToronto's Outside the Box program is hoping to have local artists paint another 64 traffic signal boxes. Applications are closed and painting will take place between June 22 and 26 so keep your eyes peeled for artists at work.

Bell Box – Shunsuke Asuma

Location: Bleecker Street, just south of Howard
Date photo taken: 20 October 2013
Image #8 in the Bellbox Series

This distinctive Bell Box is the work of manga-inspired artist Shunsuke Asuma. It was part of the same 2011 project as Image #1 in the series. During that project 14 boxes were painted in the area bordered by Davenport Rd., Wellesley St, University Ave. and Sherbourne. The partners in the project were The Seeds of Hope Foundation, Bell Canada, the City of Toronto, the Bay Cloverhill Community Association, the Greater Yorkville Residents Association, the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association and paint was donated by Benjamin Moore Paint.

Bell Box - Emilia Jajus

Location: Berkeley Street, just south of Gerrard
Date photo taken: 15 September 2013
Image #7 in the Bellbox Series

2013 was a busy year for the Bell Box Mural Project, with 30 new murals being painted across the city, and in partner location, Essex, Ontario. The new murals in Toronto are concentrated in four downtown neighbourhoods: Cabbagetown, St. James Town, Regent Park and St. Lawrence Market. This one, by local artist Emilia Jajus, is located next to the Parliament branch of the Toronto Public Library, which helps to explain the theme.

The Bell Box Mural Project is a project of The Seeds of Hope Foundation.

Bell Box - Emily Harrison

Location: Birchcliff Avenue at Kingston Road
Date photo taken: 9 September 2013
Image #5 in the Bellbox Series

This mural, painted by Emily Harrison, is part of the "re-greening" of Birch Cliff. The Birch Cliff Community Mural Project is using murals both large and small in their efforts to beautify the area and engage the community. Working with Mural Routes, they received a grant allowing them to paint three mural projects this summer, including this Bell Box. If you see it in person, be sure to walk around it - it's painted on both sides.

Bell Box - Jungle Ling

Location: Roseheath Ave. at Danforth
Date photo taken: 22 June 2013
Image #4 in the Bellbox Series

Another of the East Danforth Bell Box murals, painted in the summer of 2012. This one is by artist Jungle Ling, aka Dr. Love, and depicts the east end of Shudell Avenue in 1927, likely based on this archival photograph from the City of Toronto Archives. Shudell Avenue is nearby, running east-west between Jones Avenue and the TTC Greenwood yard, a few blocks south of the Danforth.

These murals were painted thanks to a partnership between the Yellow Door Learning Centre, Bell Canada, StreetARToronto and the Danforth East Community Association.

Bell Box - Charles Weiss

Location: Strathmore Blvd.
Date photo taken: 3 June 2013
Image #3 in the Bellbox Series

In the summer of 2012 the Bell Boxes Mural Project added eight new murals along the Danforth, including this one entitled On Delivery by artist Charles Weiss. It is located behind the Greenwood subway station, on Strathmore, and represents an early delivery vehicle from the Eaton's department store. These murals were added thanks to a partnership between 6 St. Joseph House, Bell Canada, the City of Toronto and the Danforth East Community Association.

To see the mural taking shape, visit Charles Weiss' blog.

Bell Box - Patrice Stephens-Bourgeault

Location: Grosvenor St. just west of Yonge St.
Date photo taken: 11 December 2012
Image #2 in the Bellbox Series

This box, with a theme of monarchs and milkweed, is part of the re-boot of the Bellbox project which was undertaken by the Bay Corridor Community Association and 6 St. Joseph House (the Yellow Door Learning Centre) in 2009, with help from the City of Toronto, Bell Canada, Benjamin Moore and Goodbye Graffiti. Between 2009 and 2012 a total of 48 boxes were painted in the area roughly bounded by Avenue Road to the west, Roxborough St. to the north, Sherbourne St. to the east and Dundas St. to the south. This box was painted by Patrice Stephens-Bourgeault.

Bell Box - Heidi Burkhardt

Location: Isabella Street, west of Church
Date photo taken: 3 February 2013
Image #1 in the Bellbox Series

Back in 2005, in response to a complaint about offensive graffiti on a local telephone box, Councillor Joe Pantalone proposed a project that would see local artists paint murals on Bell phone boxes. For the pilot project, he enlisted the help of Style in Progress and together they worked to get well-known graffiti artists to paint murals on 10 phone boxes, with financial support from Bell Canada. And so the Bell Urban Art Project was born. While many of those original artworks have since been painted over, the idea has spread way beyond its Queen West roots. Painted boxes can now be seen in many neighbourhoods throughout the city, each with its own style and story to tell. This box was painted by Riverside artist Heidi Burkhardt.