The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is back for another year at Nathan Phillips Square. Featuring over 350 participating artists, the fair is as big as ever. The majority of talent is local, drawing from Toronto and smaller cities in Southern Ontario, though you'll also find a few Quebec artists thrown into the mix. TOAE has gotten increasingly crafty over the last decade, so those interested in snagging some local jewellery or ceramics will be happy to know that there's a wide selection of such pieces on offer.

When it comes to more formal art, a quick walk around the exhibition on Friday revealed a hefty dose of landscape and portrait painting. As always, TOAE is a bit uneven in terms of quality. There is, quite frankly, a lot of juvenile mixed media work on display alongside more serious and thought-provoking pieces. Some of my highlights from this year include the work of Brian Harvey (a local painter who's subject is Toronto), Julia Hepburn's vaguely Joseph Cornell-esque box sculptures, Neil Ta's stunning vertical photos, and the various installations that make up the Art Now exhibit near the city hall stage.

Regardless of whether or not you're in the market for original art, TOAE is a pleasant way to check out some art in the open air. The fair runs until 7:30pm today and between 10:30am and 6:30pm tomorrow (Sunday, the 6th). Check here for the full list of artists showing their work.