This holiday season, Queen Street East has come alive with festive window art by local artists on 45+ storefront businesses in Riverside and Leslieville.
Read on to know the inspiration behind the window designs of this year’s Queen East Winter Windows Showcase! The Queen East Winter Windows Showcase is a joint program of the Riverside BIA and Leslieville BIA, thanks to funding support from the City’s Transit Construction Mitigation Grant Program.
“Santa Hitchhiking to the Gig”
Artist: Erin McCluskey (IG @mcclusk) | Location: The Opera House (735-737 Queen St E)
Rock ‘n’ roll Santa stands in the snow with his electric guitar, looking for a ride to his next gig. A band van pulled by flying reindeer gives him a lift.
“Sleighing Joy”
Artist: Wandy Cheng (IG @wandy_cheng) | Location: Slayer Burger (739 Queen St E)
Situated at an intersection with constant streetcar traffic, burgers are reimagined as hefty presents to be delivered to your loved ones as an expression of love.
“Warm Wishes!”
Artist: Marg Cresswell (IG @muralsbymarg) | Location: Ran’s Closet (747 Queen St E)
Once upon a wintery night, the neighbourhood came alive with window murals and twinkling lights. The chill of the season was settling in, painting the world in frosty hues, and mittens, hats and scarves of all shapes and sizes would soon be needed! Just like the ones depicted on the window at Ran’s, they are more than just a cozy accessory, they are symbols of love and tradition. Wishing you the warmth of the holiday season!
“Ten Winters of Wonder”
Artist: Asli Alin (IG @aslialin) | Location: Irish Design House (756 Queen St E)
“Ten Winters of Wonder” celebrates the joy of the holiday season and a decade of cherished memories with the community. The artwork embodies warmth, connection and the spirit of togetherness year after year.
“Cozy Tea Time”
Artist: Wandy Cheng (IG @wandy_cheng) | Location: Lemon Lily (747 Queen St E)
Bundle up in the cold! This cozy atmosphere with soft carpet welcomes passersby to have a cup of hot, steamy tea in the snowy winter.
“Stylish Snow Angels”
Artist: Ella Mazur (IG @ecmazurart) | Location: Common Sort (760 Queen St E)
The art features men and women enjoying the winter weather by making snow angels, all fabulously dressed. The design emphasizes Common Sort’s commitment to making fashion more accessible and sustainable while also encouraging people to be creative and unique with their style.
“Winter Foliage”
Artist: Talie Shalmon (IG @talshal_) | Location: Blitz Facial Bar (1133 Queen St E)
The art depicts branches and cones of flora that thrive in Canadian winters. These trees and shrubs include fir, spruce, pine, larch, yew and winterberries. This artwork expresses Blitz Facial Bar’s dedication to wellness and helping people thrive in all seasons like evergreens.
“Yeti Run”
Artist: Christine “Chris” Kilfoil (IG @c.tinfoil)| Location: Eye Studio (1137 Queen St E)
This artwork depicts a family of silly Yetis — a.k.a. abominable snow people — taking advantage of a snow day in the hills! The layout of the design incorporates Eye Studio’s lovely logo as the centerpiece, while ensuring that everyone has their proper PPE: stylish goggles and shades.
“Seasonal Garland”
Artist: Erin McCluskey (IG @mcclusk) | Location: Scout (1140 Queen St E)
A magical garland laden with fruits, pinecones and seasonal flowers hangs over the window of Scout.
“Winter’s Messenger”
Artist: Talie Shalmon (IG @talshal_) | Location: Love Me Do Baby (1142 Queen St E)
The art depicts a stork braving the winter skies with a special gift delivery. The stork often symbolizes new life, and is associated with delivering babies in folklore. As winter is a gift giving season, who better to deliver gifts for babies and new parents than a stork?
“Peaceful Wishes!”
Artist: Marg Cresswell (IG @muralsbymarg) | Location: Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming (1151 Queen St E)
Once upon a peaceful and snowy winter night, all the neighbourhood dogs gathered to wait for Santa. They were dreaming of all the wonderful gifts he would bring to each good boy and girl! The dogs were all looking paw-sitively perfect as they had visited Woof Gang earlier, where the wonderful people there help all pets feel and look their best!
“White Winter: A Fractal Symphony”
Artist: César Alonso Rodriguez (IG @cesar_neuromantix) | Location: Toronto Scuba Centre (1175 Queen St E)
The art is an exploration of how snow, as it falls gently to the ground, mirrors the fractal patterns that appear both in the natural world and in abstract mathematics. The white canvas of winter represents purity and silence, a quiet space where these fractal patterns unfold — each snowflake, unique and yet bound by the same set of universal rules. I aim to evoke the paradox of the endless repetition and the fleeting nature of each individual snowflake, creating an experience that invites both awe and contemplation. Through the fractal lens, winter is not just a season — it becomes a symphony of form, pattern and infinite possibility, woven into the fabric of a white, snow-covered world.
The Queen East Winter Windows Showcase will run until Dec. 31, 2024, with our friendly contest to vote for your fave designs and enter our local raffle on until Dec 13th (click below!). You can scan the QR code on any of the participating locations. View all the locations on our online map or by grabbing a physical copy at participating businesses.
Follow @riverside_bia and @leslievillebia on Instagram for updates on our holiday programming!
The Queen East Winter Windows Showcase is a joint program of the Riverside BIA and Leslieville BIA, thanks to funding support from the City’s Transit Construction Mitigation Grant Program.
