Shirley Rind Cohen - Honourary Lifetime Member
Past President: (1982-84) and (1998-2009)
Honourary Lifetime Member
We owe a deep debt of gratitude to Shirley Rind Cohen. Without her dedication and leadership—alongside the support of five former presidents—the WASM would have come to an end in 1998 due to efforts to shut it down. It was, in fact, illegally closed that year by the board at the time. Determined to continue its legacy, Shirley consulted the government and was told she could carry on, provided there were sufficient funds and members. She promptly froze WASM's bank assets and spent two years in court fighting to keep the organization alive. She ultimately prevailed, as the proxy votes the former board claimed to have obtained were not valid under WASM by-laws. Shirley then continued as president for the next 11 years. She was also supported by her daughter, Leslie Cohen, who served as WASM's President from 2009 to 2013. Shirley had hoped the organization would continue at least until 2013; she is delighted that it remains active today and extends her very best wishes to those who continue to carry the torch, keeping WASM vibrant and strong. WASM was founded in 1894. Shirley will turn 97 on July 6, 2026, and WASM will celebrate 132 years in 2026.
Shirley became a member of WASM in 1969. While raising her family, she devoted herself to art forms such as embroidery, crewel work, and knitting—one of her pieces is shown above. She continues to knit to this day. She also contributed to the creation of the WASM book published in 2020, titled The Women's Art Society of Montreal and Its Place in History 1894–2019, which is available on Amazon.ca. Shirley hopes that future generations will discover WASM and continue to uphold its enduring motto: "Art for Art's Sake."