2018 IN REVIEW Continued from page 3
Readers where shocked and saddened to hear the news Chef Michael Holland shut down Holland’s Cake and Shake in March. His creatively-themed mini cakes were a big hit in Kitchissippi and beyond. Today, the location at 229 Armstrong St. is now a Morning Owl, but that doesn’t mean Michael is out of the picture completely. He’s focused on production behind the scenes and is busy setting up the baking program for the two Morning Owl locations, Rochester and Armstrong, preparing all the treats, and organizing bread production. In terms of cakes, his focus has changed from small to big. Large custom birthday cakes are being baked up for new fans and old and the plan is to eventually expand cake production. There’s a website in the works, which will feature a line of five or six cakes along with an option for custom cakes. There will also be cakes for those who embrace the “devil’s lettuce,” reveals Michael. “It will include a line of stoner-themed cakes for those that get the munchies, along with the eventual production of edibles.”
Photo of Arpi by Ted Simpson. Michael Holland at Holland’s Cake and Shake. This space is now a Morning Owl. PHOTO BY JARED DAVIDSON
Westfest’s top volunteer In the March 29 issue of KT we introduced our readers to Paul Knoll, who’d been volunteering for Westfest for ten years. 2018 was the 15th anniversary of Westfest and in March, Paul joined Westfest producer, Elaina Martin on stage at a special event hosted at Cube Gallery to accept Mayor Jim Watson’s
commemoration of this special milestone. One thing is clear: Paul has a lot of friends in Kitchissippi! According to Paul’s sister, Helen Ries, health challenges may prevent him from volunteering in 2019, but his passion for art is as strong as ever. In May 2018, Paul’s artwork was displayed at Dovercourt Recreation Centre and was available for sale at a vernissage, which was well-attended. Paul painted the outdoor wading pool at Dovercourt this past summer and is busy painting, and attending artist meetups.
APRIL
kitchissippi.com
@Kitchissippi
kitchissippitimes
KitchissippiTimes
From baby cakes to the “devil’s lettuce”?
Where is Arpi now?
January 2019 • 16
BY CHARLIE SENACK
Westboro resident Paul Knoll was feted as a “super volunteer” in the March 2018 issue of KT. PHOTO BY HELEN RIES
Since moving to Ottawa six years ago, Arpi, an acclaimed street artist, has had an active role in Ottawa’s art scene. He has been the creator of many murals in Kitchissippi, including a large composition over the entrance of Railbender Tattoo Studio located at Armstrong and Hamilton. On that same
building, two finches add a touch of colour to the wall of the former location of the Orange Art Gallery. Arpi is also responsible for a mural on Lowrey Street near Garland, and another near Maker House on Wellington Street West. After three years of working out of what he calls his “nest” in the former location of LOAM Clay Studio located at 7A Hamilton Ave., Arpi had to vacate the space at the end of December. While Arpi said his agreement with the landlord would eventually come to an end, the timing couldn’t have been better. “Right now there is this new opportunity that is panning out — basically a dream job for me — working as an arborist at the Experimental Farm in the arboretum, which in my view is an Ottawa gem,” he reveals. Working with wood and trees is not something that is new for Arpi. When he’s not painting murals around the community, he’s using scraps of wood and is turning them into art. “Nature is the ultimate artist and beauty is all around us,” says Arpi. “If you’re open to it or not, it’s there. If you look at a forest, it’s beautiful. If you look at a tree ,it’s beautiful. Even if you look at one leaf, it’s beautiful. The best thing we can do is learn from our environment and work with it.” Continued on page 18