Art House Cafe on Somerset becomes a gathering space for the city's creators
An Art Hang event drew over 40 people sketching, painting, and creating together to a 150-year-old mansion that's become a hub for accessible art and community.
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Almost everyone who arrived at Art House Cafe on a recent weeknight came with a big, roomy bag. They claimed seats in the main room and started pulling items out: sketchbooks, paint sets, brushes, knitting needles, balls of yarn, various implements of artistic creation. These shared table space with snacks, coffee, beer, and cellphones.
A trio of musicians at one end of the room eased into a gentle groove, and the chatter subsided. Attention turned to the projects on the tables, and the crafting, drawing, painting, and colouring began. This was Art Hang, a new monthly event organized by visual artist and tattooist Laura-Chanel Lespérance, who relocated to Ottawa from Montreal last fall. She arranged it with her boyfriend Chris Pond, who plays bass in the jazz trio Primary Colours that supplied the inventive live music.
More than 40 tickets sold for the first event. Lespérance was delighted at the turnout. "They really understood the assignment," she said, surveying the activity in the room. "They knew what to do and I just love that."
The event took place at Art House Cafe, a 150-year-old mansion on Somerset Street co-founded nine years ago by Ottawa creator Geneviève Bétournay. The space hosts art, music, and community events while showcasing work from local artists. Every wall is emblazoned with artwork of various sizes, shapes, and colours, making a kaleidoscopic backdrop for an assortment of vintage furniture.
Bétournay said the space has evolved over the years to focus simply on making art accessible. "We used to have a service desk where we could offer silk-screening and printing services, but then it was kind of too much, and we didn't really have the space," she said. "Now it's more about spreading art to as many people as possible and bringing it to the masses."
For Lespérance, the Art Hang was a way to find her footing in a new city. "People say Ottawa is a city that feels like a small town, and I definitely agree with that sentiment," the 35-year-old said. "But, for all the grassroots art stuff, it feels like you have to dig a bit more to get to it." Art House is a good spot to start digging.