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=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s hard not to fall in love with Ted = Harrison,=E2=80=9D said author Katherine=20 Gibson.
When Gibson was an elementary school teacher in the 1980s, she was = introduced=20 to the brilliant colours and magical landscapes of Harrison=E2=80=99s = paintings. She was=20 instantly transfixed.
=E2=80=9CI was drawn to the optimism, the imagination, the colour in = his work,=E2=80=9D she=20 said.
Years later, she was given the opportunity to meet Harrison and to = ultimately=20 become the author of his biography, which she describes as a dream come=20 true.
=E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99ve grown very close over these past few years. = We=E2=80=99re almost like father=20 and daughter,=E2=80=9D said Gibson.
During the unveiling of the new book, Ted Harrison: Painting = Paradise, Gibson=20 sat down with the legendary painter and spoke with members of the public = at=20 Legacy Art Gallery and Caf=C3=A9 in downtown Victoria.
The book incorporates four years of research and interviews, and is a = retrospective of his last 40 years as an artist.
Harrison did much of his work while living in the Yukon, and is most = famous=20 for his popular illustrations of the famous Robert Service poem, = =E2=80=9CThe Cremation=20 of Sam McGee.=E2=80=9D
A few years ago Harrison moved to Oak Bay, where he lived with his = wife until=20 she passed away.
While in the Greater Victoria area Harrison began new work, trading=20 landscapes of barren white tundra for vibrant scenes of the ocean and = marine=20 life.
=E2=80=9CThe best of life is at our doorstep,=E2=80=9D said Harrison. = =E2=80=9CI can find inspiration=20 by just looking out the window.=E2=80=9D
Harrison=E2=80=99s work will be on display at Legacy until November = 29. Copies of=20 Harrison=E2=80=99s biography, complete with large color photographs of = his work, are for=20 sale for $75.95.
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