COOPER COLE, a contemporary art gallery that has been opening its doors to international and local artists of different status since 2011, might just be Dovercourt Village's number one hidden gem. 

The team at COOPER COLE is small but mighty, standing at only six members they've been able to take the gallery to new heights while curating up to 15 exhibitions per year. 

Upon entering the location, it can be a bit tricky to find, as the only indicator that it's there is a small branding on their front door, but if you look hard enough there is a treasure trove of beauty that awaits on the inside. 

COOPER COLE opens their doors to the public three days out of the week form Thursday - Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The gallery is completely free and has two different exhibition spaces next door to each other that you can visit. 

The first space located at 1136 Dupont St. held the art work of two friends during my recent visit.

These friends share a 'fascination for epochs and historical communities that have regarded beauty and decoration as vital components of human flourishing and social reform.'

The two person exhibition titled 'Hello Faun' was created by New York-based artist Elisabeth Kley and Toronto-based artist, Scott Treleaven.

When you first walk into the the space you're faced with five ceramics created by Kley. The ceramics are placed in the centre of the room and are said to likely emanate the 80s New York drag scene as they're created from costume designs of the Ballets Russes.

Enveloping around the ceramics you can find Treleaven's art creating a wall that protects the ceramics at its centre. 

Treleaven's vivid and motion based paintings caught me eye upon entrance. Through the revisit of Northern renaissance vanitas with efflorescent brushwork and a mix of gouache, acrylic, and pastel, I felt as thought I was seeing the breakthrough of the natural elements. 

These two bodies of work complement each other and provide a look into the lives of two different artists, form two different places, who share their love for art and friendship. 

After taking a step back outside and walking five steps to the primary entrance of the building, I then walked into a sci-fi fantasy of art work. 

The exhibition titled 'Of Doubts and Dreams' is a group exhibition featuring artworks by Aysha E Arar, ektor garcia, Timothy Yanick Hunter, Manuel Mathieu, Naudline Pierre, Nickola Pottinger, LaRissa Rogers, Brie Ruais, and Chrysanne Stathacos.

The exhibit is inspired by sci-fi/ fantasy author Samuel R. Delany. 

The exhibition aims to draw in its viewers and allow them to understand, pursue, and explore the feelings of wonder, mystery, unease, and strength in Delany's stories. 

The exhibition features a multitude of artistic mediums from sculpture, sound, painting, and drawing.

Art work can be found hanging from the ceilings, placed on the floor, and in the air around you.

As I walked through the top and bottom floor of this exhibition, ambient sounds haunted my thoughts and had me listening to its distinct tones. 

As I walked through both exhibition spaces of the gallery I noticed tiny alcoves/rooms that break off from the current show being displayed. 

These rooms are filled with art from past shows.  

The idea of preserving a small piece of a past memory made me feel nostalgic as well as lucky to be able to experience a small part of something wonderful I would have otherwise missed. 

"Through our work we hope to create a program that is reputable but also educational and well respected throughout the contemporary art world globally," says Director of marketing and sales Yolonda Abrahams. 

Abrahams guided me through the gallery sharing knowledge of the artists, the art, and the space itself. 

Abrahams confirms that COOPER COLE works hard to represent artists in the contemporary art world well. They participate in art fairs all over the world, they share a wide range of artists' works, and they provide Toronto with free access to art. 

Although it sits at a location with no direct access to the subway, it also sits near other businesses in the city that allows you to make a day out of your trip to the art gallery. 

COOPER COLE is located at 1134 Dupont St. and 1136 Dupont St.