An artistic twist of fate

CYNTHIA RAMSAY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

Bashert was the word both artist Roberta Mickelson and model Rebecca Cohen used to describe their collaboration on the Dancing with Rebecca exhibit now showing at the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCC).

"Metaphorically, it was like a marriage," Cohen told the Bulletin. "It was like a marriage that we both created together and produced many drawings that I call my children."

Mickelson and Cohen first met years ago. Cohen was the model in several life-drawing sessions that Mickelson attended.

"I felt a real interchange between us, without even speaking to her," said Mickelson. Eventually, they did talk to each other. Mickelson found out that Cohen was Jewish, that she was from originally from Virginia.

"I just found her really fascinating," said Mickelson.

Nonetheless, it would be more than two years later that Mickelson would work with Cohen again. Cohen recalled that reconnection.

"She had liked the gesture work that I did," explained Cohen. "Then one day I get a telephone call, which was a few months ago, and she says her name is Roberta and do I remember her? ... She says, how would I like to do a project with her about dancing?

"I said yes, definitely yes," continued Cohen, "and so she met me and I met her, and I definitely said yes because I felt a connection. She was Jewish, I'm Jewish. And I felt this is the first time that this has happened to me – in which I felt there was some sort of connection. I knew I had to do it, no matter what, I've got to do this."

Cohen has been modelling for about 20 years and feels she was meant for this career, despite her Orthodox background.

"I used to be religous," she said. Then one day she took off her shoes and danced in the sand on a beach in New York.

"And I said, this is not for me. I said, I don't know what it is, but I have to be freer than this. I cannot be religious. I just can't do it, even though I'm very, very spiritual. I'm connected with God deeply, so deeply that religion to me is one thing, God is my religion. And if I have God and I have this connection between me and this higher spiritual being, that to me is more important than anything."

Mickelson graduated from the University of British Columbia with a bachelor's degree in 1973, majoring in the history of fine arts, and with a bachelor of architecture in 1980. She worked as an architect for a few years then as a freelancer in renovations, interiors and other related projects before returning to drawing and painting about five years ago.

"What I liked in architecture was the creative process and the final result, but the in-between stuff, I did not enjoy. The business of architecture was not what I really liked," she said.

In July 2002, Reisa Smiley Schneider, cultural arts director of the JCC, came to look at Mickelson's work for a possible show at the centre.

"Just as she was about to walk out the door, she said, 'Do you think that you could draw a figure in clothing to go along with Chutzpah! with the theme of dance?' I said I sure could. So I phoned Rebecca," explained Mickelson about the genesis of Dancing with Rebecca.

The exhibit's works were created over a two-month period of ongoing sessions between Mickelson and Cohen. Using various costumes, Mickelson had Cohen create characters from the harem, the opera and the Moulin Rouge. They listened to music, ranging from flamenco to modern day jazz, and explored historical periods of music, art and culture. Mickelson recorded the motion, mood and movement on paper. The result was the series of gesture drawings that comprise Mickelson's first solo show. And a successful one at that – as of the Bulletin's press time, she had sold 10 paintings.

Dancing with Rebecca runs at the JCC until March 9.

^TOP