Backgrounder: Ted Harrison Donates Murals To UVic
Ted Harrison C.M., RCA is a celebrated artist, author and teacher whose work resonates with the spirit of Canada and its people. From his earliest days growing up in an English colliery village, he sought out adventures that eventually led him to India, East Africa, Malaysia, New Zealand and Canada. In 1967, he moved to Wabasca, Alberta. The following year, he staked his claim in the Yukon, becoming one of Canada’s most beloved artists.
Harrison was the first Canadian to exhibit at the prestigious International Children’s Book Exhibition in Bologna, Italy in 1978. He holds the Order of Canada (1987), the Order of British Columbia (2008) and four honorary doctorate degrees.
The two murals are described in an upcoming biography, Ted Harrison: Painting Paradise, by local writer Katherine Gibson:
“One weekend in 1995, Charles [Harrison] came over from Vancouver. He and his father applied several coats of gesso to prime the surface of three walls in the alcove of the den. When that had dried, Ted took ‘great gobs of juicy paint’ and splashed Vast Yukon upon its surface from floor to ceiling, creating a three-panel mural. Not a single human figure or human-built structure invades the sensation of unceasing motion that radiates from this intensely personal landscape. Those unfamiliar with the Harrison style might see this mural as representing the Abstract or Surrealism schools, yet it encompasses all that is known as ‘Harrison.’
“To brighten the front entrance of his home, Ted rendered View of British Columbia, another floor-to-ceiling mural executed on plywood and screwed onto the wall. He combined a bright Yukon palette with west coast symbols: two little boats roll amongst sea waves as pink and blue dolphins dive below them. A prominent Harrison sun floats above.”
Harrison’s paintings hang in prestigious galleries and private collections throughout the world. He is also a best-selling author and has illustrated several books including the perennial favorites, The Cremation of Sam McGee, The Shooting of Dan McGrew and O Canada.
A retrospective of Harrison’s work will be on display at UVic’s Legacy Art Gallery and Café, located at 630 Yates Street, in August.
For more information about Harrison visit www.tedharrisonbiography.com.