What started as a COVID hobby has turned into a viral moment for one Toronto artist who’s drawing cute portraits of people in a downtown park and charging them only one dollar.
Three years ago, Jasmine Boyd, who goes by Jas, noticed artists making on-the-spot, quick and affordable portraits in Boston’s streets. After holding onto that idea for quite some time, the artist decided to bring the idea to Toronto, setting up a table at Trinity Bellwoods Park in the city’s west end and drawing people for just one dollar.
But what started as a side hobby, soon went to a different level when she posted videos of the initiative on TikTok.
“The very first day I went out, it was really chill. I just had my lawn chair set up. I had a little sign. And on that day, I drew maybe about 20 people. Like, it wasn’t busy. I kind of had to draw people in, like, ‘Hey, would you like a portrait?’ And then I posted a TikTok that very same day, and that was like, I think what really upped the traction,” she told Now Toronto on Tuesday.
@jasboydd $1 portraits in trinity bellwoods today here til 6 🙂 #drawing #art #portraits #toronto #fyp ♬ DAISIES – Justin Bieber
The video, posted less than two weeks ago, soon went viral, with almost 200,000 views, over 20 thousand likes and hundreds of supportive comments.
“Omg I love the idea!!! Please do more of these! I live in the neighbourhood 😭,” one TikToker said.
“You’re selling yourself short. 😭Go for $2 at least, these are too good!,” another user said.
“I want my portrait doneee, you’re so talented!! :),” a different user added.
Boyd’s initiative ended up being shared by various media outlets, including one Instagram post which received a like from Toronto’s very own favourite rapper Drake.
@jasboydd wait for it 👀 i’ve been a fan since the degrassi days this is literally the best day of my life drake knows who i am 😆😆😆😆 $1 portraits are officially drizzled drake approved so i better see all your beautiful faces outside this week!!!! ⭐️ dates and times announced via my recent post 💋 #toronto #drake #torontolife #drakelyrics #art #portrait #fyp ♬ NOKIA – Drake
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After the viral success, Boyd says she started receiving dozens of people who now line up for her one-dollar portraits, and that she now draws nearly 70 faces a day.
“Now, I have lineups and stuff, which is just so cool. Like, people really travel from all over. I’ve drawn people from Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and I meet the coolest people. So, it’s been really fun.”
The artist’s favourite part of the initiative is the community connection. She says that while drawing the portraits she gets to hear all kinds of stories, and people in line also get to connect with each other.
“Honestly, at first, it really was about the art of it, like just kind of practicing some skills, maybe trying out some new styles…but now it really is about the conversations, the community, the people I meet, the people that are just engaging with each other,” she said.
Her portraits have become such a success, that multiple people are speculating she’ll start to charge more for the job. Some users said she should charge around $2-$5, while one person even said they would pay up to $20 for one.
Nevertheless, Boyd remains firm in maintaining the affordable fee.
“Inflation has gotten to everything in this world. Like, inflation will not get me, and that is my one promise to everybody…Times are tough for everybody, and so just having that little something that can brighten your day, and you don’t have to invest a lot of money into it…can just really brighten people’s days.”
Although she guarantees that she isn’t making the portraits for the money, she says that with more people coming in for her drawings, she has managed to make some profit. In addition to the $1 fee, Boyd also receives generous tips as well as coffees and treats from some clients.
In addition to being a talented artist, Boyd is a recent Queen’s University graduate with a degree in biology. She says she’s now trying to figure out her next steps while drawing portraits on the side, a passion that first started when she was a child.
“I’ve been drawing basically my whole life, especially over COVID. I think I really picked it up again. I would just be in my basement painting, drawing every single day. And then with university, obviously, that gets hard again. So, I always really use the summers as a way to reconnect with the artistic side of things.”
But for now she plans on continuing with the initiative, even considering expanding it to different kinds of arts or beyond the summertime for the future.
“Maybe bringing $1 portraits to different parts of the world, who knows? But we’ll have to see what happens.”
Boyd will be drawing portraits at Trinity Bellwoods again on Thursday, July 30 and possibly on Aug. 9 and 10. But the best way to know when she’s in the park is to view her TikTok updates, where she usually announces her portrait dates.