Best-selling authors Katherine Gibson, a Comox resident, and Margriet Ruurs of Salt Spring Island join forces to present the life and work of artist Ted Harrison in a stunning new publication.
Harrison is one of Canada’s most celebrated artists; his distinctive and colourful paintings of the Arctic and the West Coast are recognized around the world.
Harrison’s many honours include the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour.
Several generations of schoolchildren have grown up familiar with his work through picture books like A Northern Alphabet, The Shooting of Dan McGrew and The Cremation of Sam McGee. Until now, however, no book for young readers has been written about the life of this fascinating artist.
A Brush Full of Colour is a stunning gift book for children and adults that fills a void in our national literature. Filled with colour reproductions of Harrison’s work and introduced with a foreword by the artist himself, it tells the story of a boy whose passion for learning would save him from a life of hardship in England’s coal mines. Inspired by the books of the American writer Jack London and Canadian poet Robert Service, Harrison travelled the world first as a soldier in the British Intelligence Service and later as an art teacher. At last he settled in Canada’s north where he taught school, raised a family, and developed the unique style of art that makes him so well-known today.
Gibson is the author of four books. A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison is her first book for children. Learn more at www.katherinegibson.com
Ruurs is the award-winning author of 26 books for children, and conducts author visits and writing workshops at international schools around the world. Learn more at www.margrietruurs.com.
