Contributed by andi argast

Another sign of gentrification along the once unloved Ossington Avenue strip, 129 Ossington is helping to make the area a destination for gallery-goers. Located at (surprise, surprise) 129 Ossington, the gallery celebrates its first birthday in November 2007, making it one of the newer kids on the block.

Gallery owner and art director Penny Anderson's aim is to "represent young talented Canadian artists, by providing a professional space with an approachable atmosphere for both artist and clientele", and the casual, open feeling of 129 Ossington reinforces this idea. Stopping by the gallery on a hot summer day, I find all the doors open, and a breeze rustling the arrangement of wild grasses sitting on a worn wooden table - a rustic touch that compliments Keith Skelton's photographs of Ontario farms. The effect is a more homey and relaxed environment than many galleries.

An artist herself, Penny selects work that moves her aesthetically, and also "reveals a unique interpretation of our physical, emotional, and spiritual environment." In keeping with this idea, the gallery has often featured Canadian painters and photographers whose work depicts landscapes and streetscapes - classical interpretations of physical space, with distinctly Canadian twists .

At less than a year old, 129 Ossington is very much an emerging space - a work in progress, if you will - but with each show, it comes closer to defining its contribution to the Toronto art scene.