Goddess Day is in celebration of International Women’s Day. Over 30 women artists, photographers, writers, poets, filmmakers, and performers will display or feature their talent throughout the day. Goddess Day will be an expression of unity, grace, wisdom, and creativity. This is an all ages event that’s open to all to attend. Food and drinks will be available.

What an amazing line up of women who have agreed to be part of this spectacular event, which was organized in just three short weeks by an equally talented group of women – Cat Grant, Joie Lamar, Natalie Jansz- Lamar, and Nancy Beaton.

Goddess Day Organizers

Read below for some of the wonderful individuals who are taking part in this grand celebration of womanhood!

You are in for a treat as Goddess Day’s M.C. is the funny and sassy Nancy Beaton

Art

Artist Kim Atlin

Artist Laurie Sutherland 

Artist Amber Quail 

Julie Armstrong showcasing her playful eco friendly Art

renowned photographer Marni Grossman

Introducing Michaela Glassford, this cool kid designs skateboards! 

Words

Author Joie Lamar will be reading from her recent works.

Writer Barbara Brown will be reading from a new work created for Goddess Day

amazing author Alison Barnard? Reading from her sexy novel 

Authors Christine Newman & Natalie Harris

Stage/Film

Fabulous filmmaker Kate Johnston 

Davina Hader is an award winning cinematographer

Actor, playwright, producer Rosemary Doyle

Kapow wow! We’ve got Savoy Howe knocking you out with her performance 

Music

Musician CoCo ‘Cognac’ Brown

Do not miss out on hearing the soulful Sandra Bouza performing

Music and the art from the awesome Jill Taylor

Prepare to be charmed by singer Frances Miller

Come listen to the heartfelt music of the amazing Elana Harte

You don’t want to miss this extraordinary performance by Vanessa McGowan

Put your dancing shoes on because Fat Head Hazel is in da house! Jennifer Brewer vocals/guitar,Jen Benton bass, & Robyn McDonald drums, will ramp the celebration up for Goddess Day! 

Business

Goddess Day has business savvy women too! The delightful Dallas Noftall can answer your real estate questions while enjoying International Women’s Day with you! 

The room will smell heavenly because the lovely Angela Tsounis will have her essential oils for sale

Here’s a few more names to watch out for – Tracey Erin Smith, Hope Comfort, and Valeria Matzner

Poster design by Cat Grant

GODDESS DAY

SATURDAY MARCH 9TH 2019 @ 2:00PM  //  $5 // ALL AGES – Advance Tickets

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre – 12 Alexander Street, Toronto

Facebook Event Page

Presented by theBUZZ entertainment magazine.

Artist Bios

Joie Lamar is the author of a best-selling 2-part memoir titled Mambo Lips & Salsa Hips. In addition, she has published a poetry book titled Sapphoetry and a recent addition to her portfolio is a beautiful coffee table book dedicated to the Orlando Pulse massacre victims, called Cuarenta Y Nueve. Joie’s next novel and first fiction writing, ‘G’ is an LGBTQ+ crime thriller to be released this year.

Cat Grant (OCADU) is a multidisciplinary artist, currently focusing on multimedia portraiture, photography and illustrating children’s books she writes as well. A published poet she has her own column SHEBEAT in BUZZ Magazine and is senior reporter for On The Couch LGBTQ TV show. My work uses a lot of colour and I am inspired by everyday people and their emotions. I mix my skills in photography and painting together as the fusion of digital and tactile creates something surreal or stylistic.

Rosemary Doyle – Playwright/Director who founded the Red Sandcastle Theatre in 2011, after being in theatre for 80% of her life and counting. Notable roles created by Rosemary include, Jane in My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, Fringe, Mirvish, and A.L.P. for Finnegans Wake, at the Grand Theatre,Tarragon. She is Artistic Producer of Theatre Kingston.

Amber Quail is a painter and member of Alderville First Nation, growing up in a household with an Indigenous father and a non-Indigenous mother, she has walked though life with one foot in a moccasin and one in a running shoe. Amber believes that “art is medicine”.  Currently, Amber works at Wandering Spirit School in Toronto and is completing her MEd in Urban Indigenous Education at York University 

Barbara Brown is the author and driving force behind the photo-narrative project, My Breasts, My Choice: Journeys Through Surgery (2003, Sumach Press). She has written for CBC radio, and is co-founder and co-host of Queer Confessions. Barbara works as a psychotherapist, loves her dog and cat, and carries binoculars to watch the birds.

As a youth, artist Michaela Glassford had to go through many struggles and road blocks I was able to find solid ground and community through the highschool I graduated from Oasis Skateboard Factory an alternative highschool that provides youth, (me) with a new, and positive second chance through the culture of skateboarding and art. My piece uses Jellyfish to represent the “kids like us” as jellyfish are regenitive just like us. 

coco cognac brown is an international soul/jazz singer songwriter keyboard player, house music recording artist, motivational speaker, author. Classically trained pianist, 9 years at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto for practical training and 3 years for theory. Currently recording her latest CD entitled “FEEL”, due for 2019 release. Completed her first memoir of the same name, “FEEL”, 2019 release date

Over a span of three decades, photographer Marni Grossman has been exploring her true authentic self  through her relationships and the world around her, finding ways to creatively express that self through her photography. “As I reflect back, I recognize a similar thread of truth woven through every single frame. We project ourselves on everything and everybody at every given moment. There is a gift reflected back to us if we are open to the lesson. I discovered that my gift is that I see the beauty in everything and everybody even when it isn’t apparent at first glance. I feel a deep need to share that gift with the world today through my photography. Its what I know.”

Filmmaker Kate Johnston is a multi award-winning filmmaker known for Tru Love, Stormcloud, Margarita, Click and Slow Burn, Kate has garnered critical acclaim. She has won 15 international awards for her feature film Tru Love which is distributed worldwide and can be seen on OUTtv. Kate is currently in development with three feature films in Canada and the U.S.   

Fat Head Hazel band brings the good times with original songs mixed in with their twist on covers from many eras of music. Featuring Jennifer Brewer, Jen Benton and Robyn McDonald, all accomplished musicians on their own,  together they are the become the infectious rocking Fat Head Hazel. 

Photographer Laurie Sutherland discovered photography only within the last few years. Since then, she has developed a passion for capturing still life with the occasional foray into showing the beauty of the female image, whether young or old.

Jill Taylor is from from Thunder Bay Ontario and moved to Toronto to attend arts programs at both George Brown College and OCAD, receiving a bachelor of design from the latter.  She typically works in graphite or pen and ink favouring a more graphic style with a focus on line work.  Jill currently works in arts administration and creates art in her spare time.

Kim Atlin is a painter who gets excited by making art . My next piece is my best piece, my art practice involves constant experimentation and progression. A recent February solo show at Bugera Matheson gallery in Edmonton, next up Dianna Witte gallery in Toronto.

singer/songwriter, Elana Harte is a gifted vocalist and guitarist, Elana is an international award winning songwriter who relishes collaborating with new and established artists Elana was a founding member of VINNICK, SHEPPARD HARTE as well as V-GIRLS. She tours extensively throughout Canada, solo with STILETTO FLATS and with her trio, BACA

Author Alison Barnard was born on a Caribbean island, Alison has lived a nomadic life. She moved to New York as a teenager and has spent most of her adult life moving between there and Toronto. Being a nomad required an eclectic soundtrack. So music and writing and wandering came together in a book about music, poetry and love. Her novel “A Walk in the Rain” is available on Amazon

Performer Savoy Howe has a theatre degree from McMaster and is the head coach at the Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club. “The Flower Garden” was created at One Yellow Rabbit Theatre in Calgary and is in the form of a William Burroughs’ ‘cut up’.

Vanessa McGowen is a Spoken Word Artist and Singer/Songwriter from Toronto living with Cerebral Palsy. McGowan’s EP “Alive” was released by Factory Fast Records, NYC & her work can be heard as the only poetry, on musical compilations “Americana Retrofit” and “Smoking Gun”  She was the highest ranking Canadian poet to perform at The Capturing Fire International Summit 2015 in Washington, DC. and as a successful solo touring artist, Vanessa has featured at venues across North America . She is currently working on her first  show “I Don’t Remember” set for release in 2019.Publications include Divine Cockeyed Genius (bojit Press, 2012) and I Make People Leak…Sometimes (Little Crow Press 2015) McGowan is a proud co-founder of WordSpell, Canada’s only ongoing spoken word series showcasing women and non binary poets @ The Free Times Cafe

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.