Ottawa Artist's Clay Creatures Win City Grant

Benjamin Lachapelle's clay figurines—sleeping animals rendered in vibrant detail—went viral on Instagram last month when a video of him sculpting racked up more than three million views. Now the City of Ottawa has officially recognized his talent by awarding him a grant to create something monumental.

Lachapelle, 23, was selected as one of the recipients of Ottawa's 200 Artist/Creator Grants. His commission: sculpture 200 animal species for the Ottawa 200th Celebration Biodiversity Tree, an art installation meant to mark the capital's bicentennial.

The artist, who was diagnosed with classical autism at age three, describes his passion for animals as his superpower. He works in air-dry clay and paints each piece by hand. His portfolio spans endangered species awareness, LGBTQ+-inclusive love stories in animal form, and the meditative series of sleeping creatures that first caught the internet's attention.

Lachapelle moved to Ottawa with his mother, Julie Chou, last April after living in Quebec. He's already embedded himself in the local art community—the Autism Alliance of Canada invited him to display works at a leadership summit downtown, and CBC Gem released a documentary about his practice. Now he's planning to collaborate with environmental groups and Indigenous knowledge keepers to ensure the 200-animal installation reflects Ottawa's ecological and cultural identity.

For Lachapelle and Chou, the city grant represents validation that disability and neurodivergence aren't obstacles to professional art—they're part of what makes the work resonate. Everyone who sees those sleeping animals seems to feel something.