The Glebe isn’t just a neighbourhood—it’s an open-air gallery. From Lansdowne Park to Chamberlain Avenue, talented local artists have transformed ordinary walls into extraordinary canvases up and down Bank Street. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a curious explorer, or simply someone who appreciates beauty in unexpected places, this guide will lead you to every stunning mural the Glebe has to offer.
The mural guide below works from the northernmost intersection of Bank Street and Isabella Street to the south end of the Glebe, at Lansdowne Park.
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Groovy Glebe – Jocelyn Galipeau Location: 578 Bank Street, Reliable Parts There’s a playful nostalgia here—a celebration of movement, indepen- dence, and the neighbourhood’s funky soul. Galipeau taps into that retro spirit where everything felt a little more colorful, a little more free. It’s the Glebe at its most whimsical, refusing to take itself too seriously |
| Free Solo – Dominic Laporte Location: 591 Bank Street, Studio B Urban Modern Hair Salon Look up. A climber suspended in space, trusting nothing but grip and courage. Laporte captures that moment between safety and sky—the terrifying freedom of choosing to ascend without a rope. There’s some- thing both vulnerable and defiant in the figure’s movement, a reminder that the most worthwhile journeys often require us to let go of certainty |
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Pollinator Power – Emilie Darlington Location: Corner of Bank Street and Patterson Avenue A burst of joy on the most unlikely canvas. Darlington transforms a utility box into a celebration of the small creatures that keep our world bloom- ing. The flowers are impossibly vibrant, almost electric—a reminder that even the tiniest acts of pollination hold tremendous power. View it from the street or take the feeling with you into Patterson Creek Park. |
| Chinese Aces Skate the Canal – Tia Wong Location: 724 Bank Street, Fairy Dreams Bridal This 30-foot mural tells the remarkable story of Ottawa’s first all-Chinese hockey team, the Chinese Aces, who practiced on the Rideau Canal in the 1930s. The Wong family operated a grocery store at 797 Bank Street, and their son Leslie coached and played goalie for the team. Artist Tia Wong connects this piece of Glebe history with present-day climate concerns about the uncertain future of the Canal Skateway. Read the full story and artist’s statement here |
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Bench View – Ryan Smeeton Location: 749 Bank Street, Cantina Gia Sometimes the most profound moments are the quietest ones. Two figures rest side by side, arms stretched wide across a bench, gazing out at something we can’t see. Smeeton captures the intimacy of shared silence—that comfortable stillness between friends who don’t need to fill every moment with words. Cantina Gia is a well known spot to meet with friends and create special memories with family, over their delicious and authentic Southern Italian cuisine. |
| Morning Glory – Roll Her Sleeves Location: 750 Bank Street, Bridgehead Coffee Nature climbing upward with quiet determination, reaching toward light. Roll Her Sleeves captures that early-morning feeling when everything is fresh and full of possibility—when growth feels inevitable and every bloom is a small triumph. It’s the perfect companion to your first coffee of the day. Bridgehead’s chai lattes and iced drinks are neighbourhood favourites |
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Breathe Over – Jocelyn Galipeau Location: 166 Second Avenue, Hair on Second (west-facing wall) Hidden from the main thoroughfare, this piece rewards those who wander. Galipeau blends the organic and the structural—nature’s softness against the hard lines of urban planning. There’s something meditative here, an invitation to pause and let beauty catch you off guard. True to its name, it takes your breath away |
| Create a Spark – Dan Metcalfe Location: 790 Bank Street, Davidson’s Jewellers A single moment of ignition, held in hand. Metcalfe captures that fragile instant before the spark becomes flame—the potential, the risk, the wonder of creation itself. Placed at Davidson’s Jewellers, a Glebe instit- ution for over 85 years, the mural connects past and present—where century-old craftsmanship meets contemporary street art. This piece reflects Metcalfe’s own dual practice as both a tattoo artist at Barnstormer Studio and a muralist—two art forms where precision, creativity, and permanence intersect |
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Nature Entwined – Dominic Laporte Location: 116 Third Avenue, Octopus Books Flight captured mid-motion, nature woven into every corner. Laporte transforms the entire building into a sanctuary where birds and blooms spiral together in brilliant color. The piece refreshes the space while complementing the vibrant character of the bookstore, drawing from two of Laporte’s paintings from 2020 and 2021. It represents his exploration of translating studio work into larger exterior spaces—a conversation between intimate canvas and expansive wall, between the stories inside and the story told outside. Octopus Books is a beloved independent bookstore worth exploring |
| Wild Read – Vertigo Location: Il Negozio Nicastro Where the untamed meets the literary. Three artists collaborate to create a surreal collision—the raw power of the wild rendered in stark black and white, erupting with bursts of color. There’s an energy here that refuses containment, as if the stories themselves have broken free from the pages. Il Negozio Nicastro is an excellent deli with a seated patio at the corner of Bank and Third. |
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Redhead Republic – Golbon Motalji Location: 795 Bank Street, above JD Adam Kitchen Co There’s a rhythm to this piece, the easy companionship of a shared ride, the freedom of two wheels, the kind of unhurried afternoon that defines the Glebe at its best. Motalji captures that fleeting feeling of moving through dappled light with someone you love beside you |
| Flying Over – Dan Metcalfe Location: 801 Bank Street, Little Victories Pure exhilaration captured on brick. This piece invites you to shed gravity and imagine the neighbourhood from above, wind in your face, the world falling away beneath you. Working from Barnstormer Studio in the Glebe, Metcalfe brings the same precision and artistry from his tattoo work to large-scale murals. This piece pairs beautifully with Little Victories’ excep- tional coffee. |
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Glebe’s Garden – Dan Metcalfe and Pat Buck Location: 809 Bank Street, Hokum This collaborative piece celebrates the neighbourhood’s vibrancy and community spirit with intricate details that reward close inspection. The artists—Dan Metcalfe of Barnstormer Studio and Pat Buck of Moniker Tattoos—are both tattoo artists and muralists working right here in the Glebe. Their precision and eye for detail, honed through years of tattoo artistry, translate beautifully to this large-scale celebration of local nature. |
| The Start of a Fable – Mique Michelle Location: 802 Bank Street, Shoe + Shoe A story unfolds across the wall in vibrant, dreamlike imagery—creatures and flora tangled together as if mid-tale. Michelle invites you into the opening lines of something mythical, where the ordinary world dissolves into magic and possibility. You can sense the narrative just beginning, the kind that pulls you in and refuses simple endings. View it from the Fourth Avenue Baptist Church courtyard, where benches and shade trees offer a peaceful vantage point |
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Wild Growth – Roll Her Sleeves Location: 819 Bank Street, Wild Oat Bakery This explosion of organic forms and vibrant colours mirrors the creative energy of the beloved bakery it adorns. Wild Oat offers delicious hand- made pastries including vegan, gluten-free, and fruit-sweetened options. |
| Untitled Artwork – Daniel Martelock Location: 895 Bank Street, south wall of The Dosa Spot Martelock, an Ottawa-based artist, is known throughout the city for his illustrative graphic style featuring quirky birds, wildlife, birdhouses, and fun, colourful backgrounds. His floral mural at The Dosa Spot brings his signature botanical elegance and playful approach to colour to the Glebe streetscape. |
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Untitled Artwork – Dominic Laporte Where: The Rowan, 915 Bank Street Laporte appears three times in the neighbourhood, each piece revealing a different facet of his artistic voice. His untitled work on the south facing wall of The Rowan establishes his bold presence. |
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Peace Flowers – Tom Cech Commissioned by the Belgian Ambassador in 2021, this mural carries a |
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Bonus Murals
Keep your eyes open for branded murals that add character to the street:
Mandy’s Salads (581 Bank Street) features playful hand-lettered script with lounging cats on a checkerboard pattern—a cheerful, cozy addition to their exterior.
Feleena’s Restaurant (742 Bank Street) features a colourful portrait of Frida Kahlo, and florals, embodying the vibrancy of Mexican cusine.
Mad Radish (859 Bank Street) features charming radish illustrations promoting healthy eating on their south wall.
A Mapped Guide
Why This Matters
These aren’t just pretty pictures on walls. Each mural represents an artist who saw potential in a blank facade. A business owner who said yes to transformation. A community that values creativity enough to put it on display for everyone, not just gallery-goers.
The Glebe’s mural scene tells a larger story: art belongs in daily life, accessible to anyone walking down the street. No ticket required, no velvet ropes, no closing time.
So bring your camera, bring your curiosity, bring a friend who needs to see the neighbourhood with fresh eyes. The artists have done their part—now it’s your turn to discover what they’ve created.
The walls are waiting to tell you their stories.
