Somewhere between running Ucluelet’s largest art gallery and baking treats for a bustling coffee joint, Signy Cohen finds time to create masterful portraits of Sports Hall of Famers.
Over 200 of her black and white drawings are on display at the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in Saskatchewan. Cohen, who moved to Vancouver Island from Prince Albert in 1989, has been contributing to the unique collection of realism art for nearly 30 years.
“It’s pretty special. There’s a definite connect there,” says the West Coast artist. “It’s nice to be recognized as a person from Prince Albert. It’s a privilege too. I always feel really honoured to be doing them.”
Jody Boulet, director of community services for the City of Prince Albert, said Cohen has contributed portraits of so many great people in their sporting community. From hockey to archery and everything in between, he said the inductees are always so appreciative when they see the final portrait.
“Signy is fantastic. I know her mom previously used to reside in Prince Albert, so there was a bit of a family connection to the city and I think that’s how things got started back when the Sports Hall of Fame was created,” he told the Westerly News from his office in Prince Albert.
“She’s been a great resource for us to have. We get many compliments throughout the year not just from the inductees, but from the people that attend our induction banquets about just how impressive her work is.”
The time Cohen spends with each inductee varies from portrait to portrait and, more often than not, she works on multiple photographs at once.
Generally, the Sports Hall of Fame sends her six to eight photos in February, which she turns into portraits for the banquet in April.
“In some cases, she’ll receive a photo that is not so high resolution, so it really speaks to her talent as an artist to be able to take what she is given and basically provide the drawing and the level of detail that is required. It is quite impressive,” said Boulet.
Cohen uses graphite pencils as her creation tool on a special type of paper that has a little bit of a tooth.
“It’s a print-making paper actually,” she explains. “The tooth means there is a bit of texture to the paper and so that let’s the light come through.”
She also works with colour pencils.
“The pencil drawings I build up layer upon layer of different colours and they are quite lovely too,” she said.
An original colour pencil portrait titled ‘Raven Carver’ of the late British Columbian wood carver Henry Nola decorates a wall at the Wickaninnish Inn.
Cohen, a volunteer for the Pacific Rim Hospice Society, sees her gift for creating memorial portraits as a valuable service to help families deal with loss.
“They capture the loved ones. It’s a way of honouring them as a special individual in their life,” she says.
“With portraits, be it a drawing or an oil painting, it’s something that can be handed down through the generations. It’s pretty special energy and honours them in a very respectful way.”
She is open to taking on more portrait drawings, and said the best way to connect is to visit her at Reflecting Spirit Gallery in Ucluelet or message: reflectingspiritgallery@gmail.com.