Leslie Sawyer; graphic artist designed Canadian banknotes
Hyfler/Rosner
April 29, 2007 Sunday
Final Edition
ALAN HUSTAK
Artist never made a mint on his banknote designs;
British-born graphic artist retired to Canada, whose
currency he illustrated in the 1970s
Leslie Sawyer had designs on a lot of money. But he never
became rich.
The British-born graphic artist responsible for the Scenes
of Canada series of Canadian banknotes that were issued in
the 1970s, died April 15 of congestive heart failure in the
Lakeshore General Hospital.
He was 86.
He also designed postage stamps for the United Nations and
for several countries, including New Zealand, Jamaica and
Gibraltar.
"There wasn't anything he couldn't draw, but he was one of
the least materialistic people," his daughter Barbara said.
"Money didn't mean anything to him. When he didn't have
anything to do he would sit around and doodle a design or
paint a miniature. But selling his artwork commercially
didn't really interest him."
Leslie Clarence Sawyer, a gardener's son, was born Jan. 6,
1921, in Epsom, England, and grew up in Sutton, Surrey.
As a child, he displayed a natural talent for drawing and at
14 dropped out of school to apprentice as a commercial
artist.
At 19, he joined the Royal Air Force and during the Second
World War served with 112 Squadron as ground crew in the
North African Campaign painting the shark's faces on
Tomahawk aircraft.
When the war ended, he went to work in London as a designer
for the De La Rue Company Ltd., described as the world's
largest security printer, which began printing currency for
the British Treasury in 1914.
As a house artist, he was responsible for the design on the
back of the $5 bill in the 1954 series of Canadian currency
that introduced the queen's portrait on Canadian money for
the first time.
In the 1970s, he designed the series of Canadian banknotes
that featured multicoloured security tints to the basic hues
of the bank notes.
They featured oil refineries in Sarnia, Ont., on the back of
the $10 bill, a view of Moraine Lake in Alberta on the $20
and the RCMP musical ride on the $50.
Because he was employed as a staff artist, he wasn't given
credit for any of the money or stamps he designed. His name
doesn't appear on any of the bills.
Sawyer also excelled at painting miniature portraits on
ivory.
In 1976, a portrait of Prince Charles done on a piano key
was accepted by the queen for her collection. In 1981, he
became a member of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters
Sculptors & Gravers.
After he retired, Sawyer and his wife emigrated to Canada in
1984 to be with their eldest daughter.
Here, he did one of his few commercial works, a sketch of
the Baie d'Urfe city hall that was sold as a print in 1988.
"He didn't often sell his art or his miniatures," his other
daughter, Valerie, observed.
"He figured that he was getting paid a salary for doing his
hobby, and that was it.
"He didn't recognize that he was especially gifted. Once he
finished a design, he took no further interest in it. He was
such an unassuming man. He'd finish one thing, then go on to
the next project."
Sawyer returned to England in 1996, but came back to Canada
for good four years ago.
He enjoyed woodworking and snooker.
The funeral was April 20 in the Lakeside Heights Baptist
Church in Pointe Claire.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Rose Mary Bye, whom
he met before the war when they worked together at an
advertising agency, and their two daughters, Valerie and
Barbara.