The flagship experience, Nordic Alpaca: A 5-Layer Mixed Media Art Workshop, takes participants through a guided 2.5-hour session building a textured canvas artwork using air-dry clay, natural fibres, jute cord, and specialty texture mediums. Every guest leaves with a unique, wall-ready piece the same day.

Unlike traditional paint-and-sip evenings, Bubble Brush focuses on tactile, hands-on mixed media art — a format designed for complete beginners that produces results people are genuinely proud of.

Sessions are ideal for date nights, birthday outings, bachelorette parties, corporate team building, and solo creative escapes. Groups of up to 25 are welcome, and private bookings are available for 5 or more guests.

The next open session takes place Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 1 PM. Tickets are available at http://bubblebrush.ca/events.

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My Life as an “Inspirational Porn” Star is about the life story of hot and autistic (“hotistic”) “Inspirational Porn” star, Gabrielle Leonore, filled with anecdotes of sex, drugs, and everything else no one prepares you for as an autistic, bisexual woman. It offers a perspective rarely seen onstage. Public discourse around autism is currently shaped by fear and confusion, whereas My Life as an “Inspirational Porn” Star provides clarity, humanity, and nuance. Featuring elements of burlesque and storytelling, the show has received multiple 4 star reviews as well as an Almost Favorite Award from Fringe Quickies in its Edinburgh Fringe run. In its debut, the show also earned both the Social Good Award and Social Media Slayer Award at Tampa Fringe. Reviewers have praised the show as:

“A one-woman look at life’s problems and opportunities… Funny and may even make you think.” — Derek Awards

“Sexy, witty, and unique…a stunning one-woman show from an up-and-coming artist that stands boldly amongst more established works.” — FringeReview

“Sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor carry the performance, which is candid and vulnerable during many moments of Leonore’s autobiographical monologue.” — Orlando Sentinel

“I’d definitely recommend this show to any other “hot-tistic” neurodivergent fringers whose story is likely to resonate with. But I’d actually recommend it even more to neurotypical ones, who have much to learn from…the autistic experience…Leonore’s achievement here is something that deserves accolades without an asterisk.” — Orlando Theatre Review

Highlights:

Irreverent, yet Important Storytelling: Rare and raw perspective of an autistic woman in a culture that often misunderstands autism, claiming space through bold authenticity.

Award-Winning Performer: Rave Reviews at Orlando Fringe, 4 star reviews at Edinburgh Fringe and Almost Favorite Award from Fringe Quickies, plus Social Good Award and Social Media Slayer Award at Tampa Fringe.

Performances: My Life as an “Inspirational Porn” Star will be at Soulpepper Theatre’s RBC Finance Studio June 30th to July 11th.

About the Venue:

From the Toronto Fringe website: “The Toronto Fringe is a grassroots, charitable organization that runs Ontario’s largest performance festival, the Toronto Fringe Festival, the curated Next Stage Theatre Festival, and various year-round programs that benefit youth, emerging artists, BIPOC artists, artists with disabilities, and the performing arts community at large..”

Ticket Information:

Ticket link here: My Life as an “Inspirational Porn” Star! | Toronto Fringe  You can find more information by visiting fringetoronto.com.

Media and Press Requests:

For press tickets, interview requests, or additional information, please contact:
Gabrielle Leonore | 954-675-4009 | gabbycab1994@gmail.com

Toronto Fringe Publicist: Damien Nelson, damien@wantandable.ca

Note to editors: High-resolution photos and promotional materials are available upon request.

The post Autistic “Inspirational Porn” Star Back on International Tour with Award-Winning “Hotistic” One-Woman Show appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

A recent graduate of the University of Southern California’s Master’s program in Film & Television Production, Qadri brings a deeply personal and culturally rich perspective to her work. Through stories of immigration, family, grief, and resilience, her films explore universal human experiences through the lens of South Asian communities.

The special screening will feature two brand-new films, If You Can Catch Me and Hania’s Home, alongside Qadri’s acclaimed short film Marwa and the Moon.

The program opens with Marwa and the Moon (5 min), written and directed by Eemaan Qadri. After discovering that her Grade 5 math test falls on the same day as Eid al-Fitr, young Marwa must decide whether to take the test or spend the holiday celebrating with her family. The film offers a heartfelt look at faith, family, and the challenges of growing up between cultures.

Next is If You Can Catch Me (12 min), directed by Eemaan Qadri. College senior Cadence struggles to navigate the aftermath of her boyfriend Luc’s death. As she grapples with overwhelming guilt, panic attacks, and fragmented memories, therapy helps her revisit defining moments of their relationship and confront the belief that she could have prevented his death. Through a moving journey of loss and healing, Cadence learns to find hope beneath the same stars that once connected them.

The screening concludes with Hania’s Home (16 min), written and directed by Eemaan Qadri. Hania, a young Pakistani woman, immigrates to the United States with her husband and daughter. Facing language barriers, culture shock, and separation from her family, she struggles to create a sense of home in a place where she often feels unseen. The film is a poignant portrait of immigration, motherhood, and the universal desire to belong.

“These films are deeply personal stories about identity, family, and finding your place in the world,” says Qadri. “As a South Asian filmmaker, I wanted to create characters and experiences that feel authentic while also speaking to emotions that audiences from all backgrounds can connect with.”

Together, the three films represent a new chapter in Qadri’s filmmaking career and highlight emerging voices and perspectives within contemporary independent cinema.

Eemaan Qadri is a Toronto-based filmmaker and recent graduate of the University of Southern California’s Master’s Program in Film & Television Production. She previously earned a Bachelor’s degree in Media Production from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her work focuses on character-driven stories that explore identity, culture, family, and belonging through underrepresented perspectives.

The post Toronto Filmmaker Eemaan Qadri Directs Triple-Feature Screening of New Short Films With All South Asian Women Protagonists appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Inspired by the glamour, neon aesthetics, and imaginative futurism of the 1980s, Paradise Eclipse reimagines the traditional concert experience through a blend of live performance, visual storytelling, and vintage CRT installations. The event will take place at Convivium, located within Toronto’s historic former Toronto Star building at 83 Yonge Street.

Designed as an intimate gathering with a capacity of just 100 guests, Paradise Eclipse aims to create a unique environment where audiences can experience music and art in a highly immersive setting while supporting Toronto’s independent creative community.

The evening’s lineup features:

• Karisa — Alternative Indie Pop

• Dingani & Day12 — Atmospheric, soulful R&B

• Duzzidaze — Live retro-inspired video art projected throughout the venue

“Paradise Eclipse was created to bring together music, visual art, and community in a way that feels immersive, nostalgic, and forward-looking at the same time,” said performing artist Karisa. “We’re excited to participate as emerging Toronto artists in a venue that carries so much cultural history.”

EVENT DETAILS

Event: Paradise Eclipse

Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Venue: Convivium

Address: 83 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON

Capacity: 100 Guests

Event Information: KarisaMusic.com/Home

MEDIA INFORMATION

Media passes and interview opportunities with participating artists and organizers are available upon request.

Media Contact:

Yvonne

Karisa Music Management

KarisaMusic.com

About Paradise Eclipse

Paradise Eclipse is an independently produced Toronto music and arts showcase celebrating emerging Canadian artists through immersive live experiences that combine music, visual art, and creative technology.

The post Paradise Eclipse Brings Retro-Futurist Music, Visual Art, and Emerging Toronto Talent to historic Convivium on Thursday, June 11 appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Harvey Brownstone recounts the astonishing obstacles he confronted and surmounted with fearless resolve, including parental rejection, poverty, depression, homophobia, institutional inertia, and professional sabotage.

Harvey Brownstone’s story is a tumultuous, sometimes hilarious, and uplifting journey from bullied child to outcast after coming out to his parents, to trailblazing lawyer, to distinguished judge.

Brownstone colourfully details his momentous and inventive judicial career marked by his numerous innovations of the justice system, particularly revolutionizing Ontario’s child support enforcement program.

In retirement, he is no longer shackled by the restraints traditionally imposed on the judiciary, and thus Brownstone provides a frank, unfiltered, and refreshing glimpse into the inner workings of the justice system, boldly delineating the strengths and weaknesses of criminal and family courts, both of which he claims are sorely in need of comprehensive reform. His remarkable story, reinventing himself from high-profile judge to highly acclaimed talk show host, is a testament to the resilience and triumph of the human spirit.

Harvey Brownstone was Canada’s first openly gay judge and the first sitting judge in the world to write a bestselling book and host a national television show. Since retiring from the bench in 2021, he now hosts celebrities, authors, and prominent individuals on his program, Harvey Brownstone Interviews. He lives in the Niagara Region of Ontario.

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