At my “DIORAMA DRAMAS” exhibition at the Gallery in the 918 Bathurst Centre, Toronto, May 2023 (CONTACT Photography Festival)

DIORAMA DRAMAS:

Playfully Exploring Big Issues

Restless and pandemic-weary but very concerned about the state of our world, I began my “Diorama Dramas” project in the late fall of 2022. I had an 11×17” lightbox built in my front garden and every ten days or so have been creating a new diorama. They explore challenging social or environmental issues with a playful and lighthearted touch, using miniature animals, figures, toys and bright coloured photographic backgrounds. I photograph each diorama carefully in my studio before installing it in my garden lightbox, where it remains for 10 days or so. Passers-by, often with children in tow, stop to view and discuss the ephemeral creations within the lightbox. They sometimes make comments or suggestions on a dry-erase message board which is placed beside the box. When the installation period ends, I dismantle the diorama and store all its elements for re-use.

Over three years, I’ve created over 130 3-D dioramas, using humour and heart to make challenging topics relatable, and I’m still going strong!

My mission has evolved. Currently it is to spark conversation, reduce anxiety and inspire creative problem-solving among people of all ages.    

Climate, Food Security, Housing, Technology and Belonging are the central issues I explore. I also respond to current local, national and global events through my dioramas. The work has gone through many iterations: exhibitions, drama sessions, books, calendars, cards, reels on IG (@davisphotog) and ultimately workshops where people of all ages can make their own dioramas!                                                  

EXHIBITIONS to WORKSHOPS!

In May of 2023, I exhibited 26 photos of the dioramas and eight 3D ones in a small gallery as part of the Contact Photography Festival. Eight classes rom local schools attended the show and participated enthusiastically in discussions and drama sessions based on the themes in the dioramas. These sessions empowered students to engage viscerally with the issues and to problem solve in a small group using movement and dialogue.

Shortly after this, I decided to create a book (two volumes, 20 pp. ea) where each diorama photo is accompanied by a single thought-provoking question to begin the conversation. This book is intended for people of all ages to explore, discuss and ponder together. I’ve used it extensively in schools as I introduce the issues to students. You can purchase one directly from me ($22 Cdn. plus shipping). Here are a few pages from the book.

See even more Diorama Photos in my BLOG and in PROGRAMMES

Other Exhibitions

After my solo show at 918 Bathurst in May 2023, I again entered the Contact Photography Festival and exhibited in a little-known art gallery on the Danforth from June 1st until September 1st, 2024. For this show, I received Exhibition Assistance from the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Arts Council. The show consisted of four 3D dioramas, (each with lights and movement), 35 photographs of dioramas (five of them large scale) and a large floor installation. The books I created were also available for sale at the exhibition.

Class visits to the show at 310 Danforth

CBC radio (Metro Morning with David Common) did an interview with me that aired on July 24th, 2024. (Find it in the PRESS tab.) CityNews came to the gallery and created a segment which aired several times, beginning on Aug. 5th. I held a successful Artist’s Talk on Aug. 22nd, which included a screening of PANDALAND, a 25 min. slide show and tour of the gallery.

Here’s the 3 min. piece that aired on CityNews 07/08/24:

MOVING FORWARD into WORKSHOPS

After the successful summer of 2024, I wondered what would happen if I allowed children to use my materials to make their own dioramas! I field-tested this with a few neighbourhood kids and found they loved it! So I created kits out of six of my most important topics and launched my student workshops. I held them at Trinity St. Paul’s Centre and early on Montessori schools came on board enthusiastically. As of this writing, I have facilitated 20 workshops in schools and childcare centres around Toronto.

HEALING OUR WORLD

This iteratiation of my DIORAMAS project is my invitation to school groups to visit me at Trinity St. Paul’s or have me visit the school where students create their own dioramas from kits I have made up! See PROGRAMMES for more information and to watch another segment on CityNews about this unique branch of the project!

ADULT DIORAMA WORKSHOPS: “Diving into Dioramas”

After working with students for about a year, I field-tested the workshop with a few adult friends and found they loved it EVEN MORE! I have now conducted public workshops for adults at the Heliconian Club, the Women’s Art Association, Entente Canada and Trinity St. Paul’s United Church.

I currently conduct workshops for small groups (five or fewer) at my home studio on Markham St. (Bathurst subway stn.). See PROGRAMMES for this fascinating and popular branch of the project!

Interview: “Finding Yourself in a Diorama Drama”

An interesting interview was published in the Journal of Wild Culture in February 2023. I discuss my process and how I moved into dioramas. The interview includes eight photographs of the early dioramas.  Find it in the Press tab.

See the REELS @davisphotog

To really get a feel for my diorama work if you can’t get to an actual exhibition or participate in a workshop, view my REELS on Facebook or Instagram (@davisphotog). They’re between 15 and 20 seconds long and lovingly explore the details of each diorama. I enjoy making them very much.

The Newest Scoop

Since March 2025 I’ve been a member of both the Heliconian Club and the Women’s Art Association of Canada and have been steadily exhibiting my dioramas in group shows at both venues (see CV at the bottom of the homepage). The most exciting exhibition opportunity was when I showcased four of my dioramas on big double screens in the Walker Court at the Art Gallery of Ontario (01/05/26). My work was displayed for six hours in a loop with other Heliconian Club visual artists as part of its 150th Celebrations. Great exposure!

In Walker Court, Art Gallery of Ontario at the Heliconian Club’s 150th celebration

PANDALAND

In the summer of 2021 I created PANDALAND, a mixed-media installation of what became 80+ toy pandas, in a public place in my downtown Toronto neighbourhood.  I originally designed PANDALAND as a way for kids to enjoy playing outside during the pandemic, but as it evolved it became so much more than that and caused a sensation in my downtown Toronto neighbourhood. In PANDALAND, kids grappled with big social issues by holding an election to improve the pandas’ housing and their environment and acted on the results. It was the inspiration for and the precursor to the dioramas!

I made a 14 min. documentary film about the summer’s experience. It has been screened in schools and theatres and has won awards at Festivals internationally (see CV). Like most of my films, it’s distributed through the Canadian Filmmaker’s Distribution Centre.

See the TRAILER:

 PANDALAND:  Making IT Count is about how children become engaged and learn to grapple with big social issues. The filmmaker encourages playful exploration and the children initiate an election to improve the living conditions for a society of toy pandas.  Their experience evolves organically to embody community building and demonstrate acts of civic engagement.   

Book an in-school presentation of PANDALAND

My film PANDALAND: Making IT Count has many connections to strands in both the Science and Social Studies curriculum. It’s also a great tool for demonstrating civic engagement and many aspects of Character Education.  As well, it’s playful, optimistic and lighthearted!  It’s been called “A life-affirming tribute to kids’ compassion and the birth of their activism.” (See the whole film below!)

Class Visits for PANDALAND the film

• For classes from K-6
• $60 per class, I come to your school/childcare centre
• One period needed
• Maximum 35 students per screening
• Students will view the 14 minute film.
• I will answer questions.
• Discussion of 2 big issues: Housing and the Environment
• For older grades, discussion of how the two issues are interconnected
• Film to be screened straight from this website using a data projector
• Prefer to do at least two classes in each school with a break in-between.
• Maximum of 4 classes per day.
• I request that the regular teacher be present and participating.

Fun and so much learning!

VIEW the Film:

PANDALAND: Making IT Count

DREAM SCENES

I work with both children and seniors, empowering them to fulfill their dreams, virtually! Participants can go anywhere and do (almost!) anything through the magic of green screen photography. 

92 year old DDorothy rides the great grey owl.

I’ve run my DREAM SCENES programme in many different schools and daycares, seniors’ residences and Long Term Care Homes since 2017. Through this ongoing joyful and positive programme, I’ve enriched the lives of over 1000 people, young and old, through the photographs, collages and calendars I’ve created with them. I exhibited my work with seniors twice in the CONTACT Photography Festival, in 2019 and 2021. Photos of some of this work are currently available for purchase or exhibition through Hello Art! 

See the GALLERY for photos of seniors. Find out the benefits of my programme for seniors and how much it costs under FEES.

For “Dream Scenes” with children, go to PROGRAMMES. You will find three different ways kids can experience this programme. You will find the Fees listed on each of the descriptive posters.

Excited senior participants at the opening of DREAM SCENES at the Hashtag Gallery, Toronto, May 2019

BOOKS

The two 20-page volumes of my DIORAMA DRAMAS books are now available for sale! They feature 16 full-page diorama photos each. A single question is posed underneath each photo as a spark for conversation. The first blue volume is the one I use in schools. It explores my “top 3″ issues: Climate, Housing and Food Security. The second pink volume is all about ‘Belonging.’ They are soft cover, 8.5 x 11” on semi-gloss paper and the photo reproduction is excellent. They are $24 each or both for $44, plus shipping. Get in touch with me through CONTACT if you’d like to purchase them.

I have also self-published six books for children of text and photographs using green screen and have won two Writers’ Awards from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario for my children’s books (2013 and 2017). As well,  I helped my students create books on various curriculum topics which I self-published for them. Check out my TROLLOGY: Three Books about Trolls who Long to Belong or If Pandas could Talk: Students’ Conversations with Animals.   The TROLLOGY is available for purchase in the bookstore at blurb.com. ‘If Pandas Could Talk’ is there too, for viewing only.

FILMS

I’m an accomplished independent filmmaker with 24 shorts and two feature-length films and videos to my credit.   Two of my short films were nominated for Genies and, along with one of my features, have been screened internationally.  (View Reading Between the Lines and my feature PATH on vucavu.com.)   Most of my early films are distributed through the Canadian Filmmaker’s Distribution Centre. Many of my more recent shorts can be viewed on YouTube.   Search “the Martha Tapes.”   In this group of videos, there are two that were made in 1995 with my grade 3 class in the intergenerational program which I ran for many years. One of these, She was a Mean Old Cat, has the children valiantly re-enacting  the seniors’ strong school memories in the setting of the old-fashioned schoolhouse.   It is poignant and heartbreaking.    (Check out the comment made by a former grade three student!)

I’m an accomplished independent filmmaker with 24 shorts and two feature-length films and videos to my credit.   Two of my short films were nominated for Genies and, along with one of my features, have been screened internationally.    (View Reading Between the Lines and my feature PATH on vucavu.com.)   Most of my early films are distributed through the Canadian Filmmaker’s Distribution Centre. Many of my more recent shorts can be viewed on YouTube.   Search ”Martha Davis Art.”  In this group of videos, there are two that were made in 1995 with my grade 3 class in the intergenerational program which I ran for many years. One of these, She was a Mean Old Cat, has the children valiantly re-enacting  the seniors’ strong school memories in the setting of the old-fashioned schoolhouse. It’s poignant and heartbreaking.    (Check out the comment made by a former grade three student!)