A Brush Full of Color: The World of Ted Harrison, written by Margriet Ruurs and Katherine Gibson. Pajama Press, 2021. $15.95 all ages

 

"Ted loved teaching his Cree second graders. They
brought him unusual gifts, like a bird's egg or the
skull of a muskrat. In return, he told them funny
stories and drew pictures for them. He soon discovered
that the early readers featuring North American
children like Dick and Jane had no meaning at all for his 
Cree and Metis students. So he and another teacher 
wrote and illustrated a small book filled with northern 
images instead."

Ted Harrison had lived in many places following his birth in England; his military service took him to India, Africa, Malaysia and New Zealand. What endears him to Canadians is that he chose to teach in northern Alberta and then in the Yukon where he would spend much of his artistic life capturing the beauty of this new home. 

The clear skies, the horizons, the wonder of the northern lights, and the beauty of the first and last look at each day were captured in a bold new light. Using black to outline the images he was seeing, and brilliant colors to begin to represent the people and buildings that were so part of his everyday life, he stunned the world with his work. 

In the 1980s, he turned his talent to illustrating books for the children he loved and spent his days teaching. He continued to tell his stories and paint, selling his works throughout Canada to eager crowds. He created art for two poems from his childhood written by Robert Service that are still well-known to all - The Cremation of Sam McGhee (1986) and the Shooting of Dan McGrew (1988). They remain much coveted works.  

The Harrisons moved to Victoria, B.C. in 1993. Worrying that he might not paint again, Ted did find solace in the landscapes of his new home, school visits, teaching art classes, and touring across Canada with his stories and his art. 

This book is filled with archival photos, and Ted's paintings. Each is carefully captioned with date, medium, and name. Back matter includes acknowledgements, sources & resources, and a useful index. 

In his foreword, he gives readers this advice: 

"I urge you to keep on reading, writing and painting. 
Develop your own style and keep it honest and true 
to who you are. Find inspiration in the world around 
you, and  you will make the world a happier and more 
creative place." 

Words to live by, aren't they?