A recent article in the Ottawa Citizen has shed some light on an elf I cross every day. I’ve always liked these mythical creatures for their beauty and elegance. They sort of have a very . . . gay quality to them, don’t they?
Local artist Andrew King has given this elf a second life.
Artist Andrew Kind in front of the elf — notice one foot is missing!
According to the artist’s website, “This odd little creature has adorned the side of the Elphin Apartments building in downtown Ottawa since 1966 and can still be enjoyed today, minus his leg. I sketched and coloured my own replica version of this Ottawa icon (with a new leg) and have contacted some local talent to put the Elphin emblazoned shirts into production.”
King describes the elf as an “exclusively Ottawa piece of nostalgia,” and for those downtown crawlers, he’s absolutely right. I’ve always lived in Centretown and the area has a luring, magical and tranquil elflike quality.
The T-shirts sold out almost right away, but you can buy some more at the New Art Festival on June 2 and 3. You can even preorder them by emailing here.
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