Picture by Nicolai P. Gregory
Pascale Arpin is an accomplished freelance artist from Ottawa, Ontario. A self-taught creative with a rich background in the arts, her work experience spans across a wide range of domains and disciplines, including but not limited to: painting, illustration, film/television props and sets, scenic painting, graphic design, as well as traditional sign painting and lettering.
In 2017 Arpin became the assistant to world-renowned American sign painter Mike Meyer. As part of that work, she spent over two years refining her sign painting skills and travelling between the U.S. and Canada, all the while building a highly successful one-woman sign painting business in her hometown of Ottawa. Arpin has since become known for high-quality craftsmanship and her sign work can be spotted all over the city (scroll down for a map of her signs).
Some other noteable projects include working closely with legendary film director Tim Burton to fabricate and paint pieces for his Lost Vegas exhibition at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas (2019). Moreover, Arpin has spent the last 6 years developing and illustrating Phantomtits—a 3-volume comic—with author and collaborator Cara Tierney. Arpin is currently based in Europe and has put her sign business on hold to focus on a series of personal works for which she has received financial support in the form of creation grants from the Ontario Council for the Arts and the Ottawa Arts Council.
-Tarek Hassan, Gongfu Bao Owner
Ottawa Citizen, August 11 2018 - The slow art of a perfect letter: Pascale Arpin is painting Ottawa
Ottawa Magazine, March 30 2020 - Talking art, life and Tim Burton with signmaker Pascale Arpin
CTV Ottawa News (TV), April 23 2020 - CTV Morning News
CBC Ottawa, August 6 2020 - Boom in old-fashioned window lettering sign of the times
CBC All in a Day, August 6 2020 - Sign painter sees boost as businesses welcome back customers
Pre-Vinylettes Suffragette Centennial Exhibition Catalogue, September 26 2020 - Pascale Arpin
Glebe Report, October 15 2020 - Gold Letter Day in the Glebe
Charlatan News, January 22 2021 - ‘Phantomtits’ graphic novel explores trans experiences
Revue FR, July 29 2021 - FR: Pascale Arpin
Design Club (Ottawa x Montreal x Marseille), August 9 2021 - Open Letters: Pascale Arpin
The Capital Collective, October 15 2021 - Local Legacies: Pascale Arpin
Radio-Canada Tout Inclus (TV), July 11 2022 - L’art de bien écrire
BLAG Magazine, August 4 2022 - Two Wheels Good—Even Better Lettered
Shoebox Radio, December 11 2023, Capital Playlist Project - Episode 5: Pascale Arpin
BLAG Magazine, January 4 2024 - Getting Into It: Sign Painters’ Stories Around the World
You can find my custom hand-painted signs all over Ottawa!
Check out the map above or the list below to find out where you can see my work:
Little Victories Coffee Roasters
Top Shelf Preserves
Cantina Gia
ARLO
Little Jo Berry’s
Crowsnest Barbershop
Gongfu Bao
Corner Peach & Corner Store
Dessert First
Poisson Bleu
Arlington Five
Wolf Down
Spark Beer
The Third
Nan’s Parlour
Driphouse
North Market Almonte
Magpie (Rideau)
Hareg Cafe
Black Squirrel Books
Mighty Fine Bakehouse
Third Son Tailorshop
Blumen Studio
Pizza Nerds
City Goose
Whalesbone (Kent)
Cloud Forest Coffee
Pokoloko
Hello Dolly Pastries
The Record Centre Too
Thr33’s Co. Snack Bar
Boucanerie Chelsea
Chasseurs Courrier Coop (Montréal)
Gladstone Golden Grill
Wellington West BIA
Pascale’s Ice Cream
Adam Bakes
Ten Toes Coffeeshop
Strawberry Blonde Bakery
Stomping Ground
Otherside Tattoo
The Moonroom
Virtue Tattoo
Atelier Guitar Repair
Head Space
Guinness
Heart & Crown
The Snug Pub
TOMO
Boogie & Birdie
Venus Envy
Parlour
The Gilmour
Vanity Vintage
Malenka Originals
Gloucester Pottery School
Levain Boulangerie
Tall Tree Cycles
Das Lokal
Driphouse
Prokitchen
Ward 14 Dépanneur
Wabi Sabi
Holler Lumber
La Femme à Marier et Cie.
Jacobson’s
Rareform Tattoo
Dave’s Drum Shop
The Aulde Dubliner
Manhattan’s Coffee
The Mud Oven
Fraser Café
Grounded Kitchen
Cafe Deluxe
Town
Gray Jay
Morning Owl
The 27 Club
Ethica Beauty Bar
Pines Rides
NU Grocery