Portraits of Canadian Women

Shirley Thomson

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Our National Gallery exists, in large part because of Shirley Thomson.

Shirley and Jean Sutherland Boggs were tapped by Prime Minister Trudeau to oversee the building, acquisitions, and layout of the collection. They were a power trio and I dare say we would not have this gallery without the vision of these three.

I shot this portrait in the former National Gallery at the Lorne Building on Elgin Street in 1986 as part of the documentation of the Curators and Exhibits of the upcoming new building.

The shot was not planned and I still remember Shirley looking disapprovingly at me as I suggested two staff hold the frame in front of her. I proceeded to shoot a black and white Polaroid of the setup and a huge smile came over her face…On her passing in 2010, the National Gallery chose this image to honor her in a range of articles, including their magazine Vernissage. They told me it was her favorite portrait.

In the following years, Conservatives were outraged Ms. Thomson had spent $1.8-million, more than half the gallery’s acquisition budget, to buy Barnett Newman’s modernist painting, Voice of Fire.

Unrepentant, in an interview, Shirley simply said “One never hesitates before a masterpiece.”

Voice of Fire was cutting-edge work and Conservatives saw it for what they deplored: something modern, dangerous and expensive. History has proven Shirley right as it is currently valued in the range of 50 million dollars….effectively a 5,000 percent increase on the investment.

Among my many memories of Shirley, two stand out. I was on a date and shuffled into my seat at the NAC when from directly behind me a voice says hello…I turn and she introduces me to famed dancer Celia Franca as Ottawas “new” Karsh. While recovering from that compliment my date…who was an aspiring painter, whispered, who is that…and I responded….Oh, just the Director of the National Gallery.

Shirley was passionate about the arts and often expressed her frustration not only about the politicians she battled but the arts bureaucracy itself. I fondly remember starting a shoot in the main Rotunda of the Gallery for Time with the intention that Parliament would be seen in the open windows. To my horror, during the narrow time-frame the blinds were down and every level of bureaucrat hovering around told me they had no control over my dilemma. With the clock ticking, who should walk by me but Shirley. With a big smile she said how was it going and I explained the problem…she wheeled on her heel and simply said…I want those fu#*king blinds up in five minutes or someones head will roll.

They were up in three minutes.

Marlen Cowpland

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Marlen Cowpland photography

In the glory days of Silicon North`s power, Marlen Cowpland was a metaphor for an Ottawa rising from a gray land of public servants to a booming hi-tech powerhouse.

Ten years after she “left the room” her name was still being searched on my web page every single day.

I knew Mike and Marlen for many years prior to photographing their secret wedding (the first wedding on the cover of Macleans). I first met Mike at his lavish home on the Ottawa River, complete with 18-karat gold bathroom faucets, a $200,000 solarium, a $25,000 disco dance floor and a chopper pad in the mid nineteen eighties.

A boudoir portrait of Marlen a few years later made the papers as the Ottawa Police asked me to take it down from the windows of my Gladstone Studio as it had caused two car accidents from rubbernecking in a single week.

Parties at the Cowpland residences put every last party I have attended to shame. I remember an incident when a certain Prime Minister was admiring my digital creation on her wall that left little to the imagination. I was asked…who was the subject….Marlen simply walked up to the artpiece, turned and gave a devilish grin…The PM nearly choked on an olive.

Even before the clickbaiting of our current era, the media were not kind to Marlen. Upon winning a large settlement from a Toronto magazine that had stolen my shot for a slam piece, I called Marlen and her posse and we proceeded to drink all the Dom Perignon at an upscale Byward Market resto on my nickel. When the bartender sheepishly confessed that he had run out of Marlen`s favorite drink, we looked at each other…and laughed in unison. I simply said….”Then go get some more.”

The media were rabid for “Marlen news”, from photographers camping outside my studio to Frank Magazine`s calls for dirt on the couple. A famous Canadian author even entertained me at Hys to no avail. Multiple media stole my images of the Cowplands which set me on a path of winning a series of lawsuits and settlements.

There are dozens of stories of Marlen`s antics from commissioning a million dollar dress to dying her dog Bunny hot pink and hiring me to shoot a portrait that is still the wildest animal portrait in my archives.

Behind the glam…what most do not know about Marlen is that she is a kind, funny, sharp witted woman. Among other charities she worked to launch the Fur Ball for the Ottawa Humane Society which eventually raised hundreds of thousands. Behind the scenes she and her husband were haunted by charities and causes.

One of the local Cowpland houses caused a flurry of angst in sleepy Ottawa and I still remember telling the tale of the 10M dollar mansion on a friends patio in San Diego…He looked at me and laughed….saying, “That`s what a fixer-upper costs on this street”

My work graced the halls of the Cowpland homes and we created some of the first digital composites using CorelDraw with Marlen in images that were published worldwide. I hung one in my studio and amused myself listening to women`s comments as they judged Marlen. What they did not know was that as they judged her……..I was judging them.

If anyone believes men are the largest hurdle to womens success they need to think again….Women can be every bit as vicious.

Here`s a toast to you Marlen…shine on you crazy diamond.

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Julie Payette

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Julie Payette Canadian Astronaut

In 1995 I was chosen to create a PR campaign for Canada`s Space Agency. The concept was a complex collage in which I comped together a series of images and used early digital technology to make posters to be seen worldwide. It was, I felt, in keeping with our scientific advances and first steps into space. The guys were all remarkably accomplished Canadians but still retained the bravado of military pilots as their nickname for Julie was to reveal…

 Julie was the diminutive one and wanted to be serious in her pose and expression. I convinced her to do this shot with a smile when the guys had left the room. A couple of years later I happened upon her bio and mused at how much of a groundbreaking Canadian woman she really was and what obstacles she must have faced to be the first Canadian Woman on the ISS.

Mme Payette has a Master of Applied Science degree in computer engineering at the University of Toronto . Her 1988 thesis focused on computational linguistics, a field of artificial intelligence . Payette was selected by the Canadian Space Agency  as one of four astronauts from a field of 5,330 applicants.  She is certified as a one-atmosphere deep sea diving suit operator. Julie flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery  in 1999, as part of the crew of STS-96. On Discovery, Payette served as a mission specialist. Her main responsibility was to operate the Canadarm robotic arm from the space station.

Ms. Payette was the first Canadian to board the Space Station.

Oh, did I mention that she can speak French, English and hold down a conversation in Spanish, Italian, German and Russian,  Payette is also an accomplished pianist and has sung with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal.

In 2017 she was chosen as Canada`s Governor General.

 Despite all this…or perhaps , because of it, the media have not been kind to Julie Payette…savaging her candour and digging up the details of her divorce.

 In her first year as Governor General she made the “error” of speaking strongly for greater public acceptance of Science, saying that “too many people believe in astrology, creationism, deny climate change and believe that  ‘maybe taking a sugar pill’ will cure cancer.” I laughed when she was attacked for this, since this is exactly the kind of straight up talk I would expect from a tough science-geek-pilot, but in today`s world of political correctness of course it simply does not…er………. fly.

Julie  Payette,  some surmise, is unorthodox, independent and unprepared for the rigours of the office.

No kidding…

Julie Payette is simply put…a groundbreaking Canadian Heroine.

Randi Shinder

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Randi Shinder Portrait

Randi Shinder is a Canadian beauty entrepreneur with an amazing record of success.

I included her portrait, shot in 2001, not because of her string of successes but because it was shot to promote one of her projects that did not work!
The key to being a successful entrepreneur is not what you achieve but your resilience and constant belief in yourself and your ideas. That would be Randi in spades.
To launch Youtopia, her first major foray into business, this Ottawa native managed to enlist Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake to promote “Youdollars”.
The idea was before its time and venture capital dried up after 9/11…but imagine if you will today`s “influencers” and “Bitcoin” and you see some of the thinking behind her mind almost two decades ago.
Undaunted by setbacks, Randi launched CLEAN Perfume a year later. For the next venture she partnered with Jessica Simpson to create Dessert Beauty which became the first brand to exceed $10 million in sales at Sephora. In 2007 she sold a large stake in her companies which became Fusion Brands to Eugene Melnyk for an amount reputed to be between 50 and 80 million dollars. Retail sales figures for her brands that year were 100 million dollars.

Her list of awards are many..but among them.

Fashion Institute Rising Star Award – 2007
Cosmopolitan Magazine Fun Fearless Female Award – 2007
Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – 2008

Over the years we photographed everything from Randi`s family to her PR and products. Her vision, her creativity and her attention to detail made her an ideal client for someone with an eye for detail who did not mind working til midnight to meet her deadlines. She understands branding, marketing and truly enjoys keeping up with the ever changing trends in the beauty industry.

Not content to sit back after a few years hiatus, Randi recently launched House of Greatness, a lifestyle brand developed with the core belief that greatness should be a way of life. It will feature product lines covering categories such as fragrance, beauty, home décor, apparel and jewelry and will include brand collaborations from celebrity beauty and lifestyle expert Spencer Barnes and supermodel/actress Bar Paly.

Josee Bourgeois

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Couvrette/Ottawa
(613) 238-5104
www.couvrette-photography.on.ca

My Canada 150 project involved creating a photograph of Josee Bourgeois dancing and performing a tobacco ceremony at the Chaudiere Falls in Ottawa. No First Nations person had performed a ceremony at this location since Champlain witnessed the event in 1613.
Josee Bourgeois is a member of the Algonquin’s of Pikwakanagan First Nations in the Ottawa Valley of Ontario. She began her journey as an accomplished contemporary dancer and competitive gymnast as a young girl, by the age of 13 Josee began a very successful International career as one of Canada’s only high fashion First Nations models. Over the last 10 years Josee has graduated College as Valedictorian, and worked for the Federal department of Corrections Canada in Nova Scotia.

In 2014 Josee moved back to her ancestral Algonquin territory of the Ottawa valley and since then she has been appointed by her communities Chief and Council to sit on the Memengweshii Culture and Heritage Advisory Board for the Zibi project in Ottawa. Josee now holds a long term position at The Wanaki Treatment center in Kitigan Zibi, as the Accreditation Coordinator.

To date, Josee has performed for Prince Charles, opened the National Arts Center’s new Indigenous Theater Program, starred in several theater productions in Nova Scotia, been featured in several music videos for Canadian artists and performed at Riverkeeper as well as the opening ceremonies for Cirque du Soleil in August 2017. She will dance on Parliament Hill to open the 2018 Christmas Lights across Canada upon returning from performing and teaching in Iqaluit.

The most interesting moment of the times I have photographed Josee involved the setup to the shot above. Wearing a hard hat and construction boots I ran 20 yards across the rockface she is standing on and reached down to pull out a weed tree that was bothering my composition. I cannot remember exactly her words, but her look indicated that I should leave the weed there as it belonged on this hard fought ground. It was then that I realized I was dealing with a force of nature.

At a time in our history where we are reevaluating our relationship with First Nations, Josee is one of many voices among my friends who is helping to move the discussion forward in a positive manner. Change comes from education…from anger…from wisdom…from humor and from art.

Herieth Paul

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Herieth Paul Portrait by Couvrette Studio

When I photographed Tanzania model Herieth Paul she was just breaking out of the Canadian market, having been featured in Elle Canada as the next Naomi Campbell. Herieth has a long list of achievements since our shoot…..including Italian Vogue and appearances in the Victoria Secrets Fashion Show. Her choice as the face of Maybelline surely inspired many young women in an age when boundaries are breaking down.

In my career I have photographed hundreds of models, actors and entertainers. I have always enjoyed my contributions to their success. My first ever published images were in Playboy magazine for a feature on Shannon Tweed that helped launch her career. Getting to the top of the fame game is not for the weak of heart.

I am including Herieth in this series for a different reason that most would suspect. Over the years I have seen famous people rise and fall…models who let their success go to their heads and singers who would not return my emails once they hit LA.

Herieth Paul is here simply because not only is she a winner, but she is….nice. I can only imagine that she inherited and learned that skill from her mother, a Tanzanian diplomat in Ottawa. In a world where competitive pressures can turn people mean…those who can hold tight to their own values will always succeed.

(Kudos to my friend Angie at AMTI for spotting a winner)

Grete Hale

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The Hale/Pigott/Cook family have been a part of Ottawa since it was founded.

I first met the three women of this amazing family over 30 years ago when they brought a pair of beautiful aged Irish Setters to my studio for a portrait. I remember working hard with the help of the ladies to get the shot and of course there was no preview like today with digital. I still remember Jean Pigott asking me with a serious tone…”Are you certain Mr. Couvrette that you got the shot.” I replied yes. She added…”Well that is great because we are headed to our vet to have one of them put down….” I swallowed hard and managed a nervous smile and just nodded. To my relief, the portraits worked out fine and made them all very happy.

Grete Hale is like a burst of warm sunshine…I swear I see traces of a mischievous 8 year old in her smile, but a hint of a powerhouse businesswoman in her hand position. She is simply ALL about family and never fails to ask about my two daughters and my significant other. Her annual Christmas card is eagerly awaited and while it is an anachronism is todays world…it is truly appreciated in my studio.

Grete comes from a pioneer family. Her great great grandfather arrived in this area in 1818 to work for his uncle Philemon Wright, the founder of this region.

She has lived all her life in the oldest house in Ottawa, built in 1818. It is rumored some of the stones came from digging the Rideau Canal. Her volunteer work has been recognized by many awards including The Order of Canada and Honorary Degrees from the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Algonquin College. She received a government appointment to be the Honorary Colonel of the Governor General’s Foot Guards.

Graduating in journalism from Carleton University in 1954, Grete Hale, served as Director of the North American Life Assurance Company, Director of Consumers Gas and as Chairman of the Board of Morrison Lamothe Inc.She has demonstrated her unrivaled leadership in the boardrooms of Canadian business and in the social-conscious realm of the humanities.

I have a hundred Grete stories…but I will close with this one. I once asked her where she got her humanitarian
impulse. She answered that during the Depression her mother knew that itinerant men would leap off the train a few blocks from their house to avoid being arrested by the Railway police in downtown Ottawa. Grete`s mother took it upon herself to bake pies and she would have her daughters walk them down the street to feed the migrant workers…

We need more Canadians like this family.

Eleanor Milne

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When I walked into Eleanor Milne`s Glebe home I was confronted with a diminutive woman in a surgical mask and a belt sander in her hand working on a ten foot tall wooden sculpture. A quick tour of her house amazed me as I began to realize that every mode of visual art in the place was a testament to her talents.
We followed up with a second shoot on Parliament Hill. When we stood in the Foyer of the House of Commons and I asked her which of the various stained glass pieces, sculptures and stone carvings were hers. She replied…All of them. I stopped myself from saying I figured these were all done a hundred years ago…though knowing Eleanor, she would have laughed.
Eleanor Milne is known for her work as the first female Dominion Sculptor of Canada, a position that she held from 1961 until her retirement in 1993. She created literally thousands of works on Parliament Hill during that time.
In the ensuing years we had long chats about her work and I enjoyed introducing her to the world of digital imagery which, of course, she leapt into with fervor.
I learned a year later that she had passed away and I was sad to have missed the funeral. A few months passed and I was called by Brian McGarry of the McGarry Funeral home on Gladstone. He asked if I could come over for a quick shot of an event involving some stained glass she had done. As I walking into the room…there was Eleanor, sitting in a chair. I walked up to the two of them and exclaimed…Brian, you do incredible work. They both looked at me like I was insane, until I told them I heard she had passed months before….We all had a good laugh.

Kenojuak Ashevak

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One of the highlights of my career was to photograph a woman who was born in an igloo.
This image is part of series I carried out for Time Magazine photographing Artists of the North.

Kenojuak had 11 children by her first husband and adopted five more. Seven of her children died in childhood. At the time of her death from lung cancer, she was living in a wood-frame house in Kinngait with dozens of children she had adopted to support her community.

I asked Kenojuak how she became an artist and she told me that she had always thought it was “man`s” work, but became interested when she was hospitalized for tuberculosis and bored. She also mentioned that she wanted to make herself useful since she felt her hunting and fishing skills had waned and her husband teased her about it. In the end…her art funded his new boat and rifle and earned Cape Dorset a place in art history.

In 2017, the $10 bill released in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday features Kenojuak’s stone-cut and stencil printed work called “Owl’s Bouquet”. We shared that honor…

The work of Kenojuak can be found in the collections of Canada’s National Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ontario which chose this portrait as the signature portrait of her for their 2017 exhibit of her work.

Margaret Trudeau

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Margaret Trudeau has an energy that has always impressed me…Outspoken about her issues and caring about her charities, she links the past and the present in Canadian politics. The direction of our country, for better or for worse, is based largely on this woman since her role in raising her children was far greater than her husband`s, given the time constraints of his career. Asked about her role in a marriage to the prime minister, Margaret said, “I want to be more than a rose in my husband’s lapel.”

I remember our first meeting when she was in her wild post-Pierre days, but also a day shortly after his death when she appeared at the Eternal Flame on the Hill. It surely was the end of an era.
This portrait was carried out for a local magazine and I remember everyone being puzzled on set about the water. My take was that it pertained to one of her water charities…but there was a second meaning that I did not reveal. I wanted her to be peering through tears as she was beginning to speak of her challenges with mental illness.
Some time later, just before her son became Prime Minister, we had a visit from his staff who wanted a print for his office.

They told me this was the image of his mother that spoke to him…