"Life is a rainbow road, multicoloured with the most brilliant hues and contrasting with the darkest tones.
It is illuminated by the light of success, and rutted by the tracks of failure. Tears of sadness and joy wash
its surface while the clouds of doubt and insecurity dapple its course. As we traverse this highway we can
reach the highest pinnacles or descend to the darkest valleys.
Finally, when the end of the road is in sight, we may cast our eyes to the distant horizon where
everything began; and say with conviction, "That sure was one hell of a journey."
– TED HARRISON
“Ted Harrison is one of Canada’s most popular artists. His love of the land and people of Yukon
has brought him national acclaim.”
His distinctive style of painting is both colourful and sophisticated yet retains and innocent charm, and
appeals to young and old alike.
Edward Hardy Harrison was born August 28 th , 1926 in the village of Wingate in County Durham, England.
Ted attributes his early interest in art to the encouragement and support from his parent, particularly his
mother who had a interest in fashion design and photography.
Grammar school teachers recognized his talent and urged him to further pursue his artistic dreams by
going to Art College.
In 1943, he enrolled in Hartlepool College of Art and began to study art and design earnest, but the
Second World War interrupted his education. Following military service, he returned to art school and in
1950 received a Diploma in Design.
The following year he received a teaching certificate from the University of Durham and began a twenty-
eight year career in education. Ted, who had a great interest in travel, then taught in many different parts
of the world, including Malaysia, and New Zealand, before immigrating to Canada with his wife Nicky,
and their son Charles. The settled in the small town of Carcross just outside Whitehorse, in the Yukon.

“Ted credits the work of English painter, Norman Cornish for inspiring his life long quest to paint
people and places. But the strongest influence in his life and art was living in the land of the
Yukon, where he found hi “Shangri-La”.
In May of 1969, Ted had his first art showing at the Public Library in Whitehorse and so began his
illustrative journey as a working artist in Canada. In addition to his work as a painter, Ted has written
several children’s books and illustrated both “The Cremation of Sam McGee” and “The Shooting of Dan
McGrew” by Robert Service. Other projects include his design of Yukon Pavilion for Vancouver Expo’86
and the design of a Canada Post Christmas Stamp in 1996. His paintings can be found in private and
public collections throughout Canada, and in New Zealand, Japan, Germany, and the United States of
America.
In 1987, he received the Order of Canada for his contribution to Canadian culture. He was awarded a
honourary doctorate from The University of Athabasca in 1991, a honourary doctorate in Fine Arts from
The University of Victoria in 1998 and a distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Alberta in
2002. He also holds an honourary doctorate of Law.
In 1993, he moved to Victoria, British Columbia to continue his painting and writing. He was inducted into
the Royal Conservatory of the Arts in 2005. In 2009, the first ever biography of the artist, “Ted Harrison:
Painting Paradise”, was written by author, Katherine Gibson. And in the same year, Ted donated a large
mural entitled “Vast Yukon” measure 19.5 ft wide by 6 ft tall to the University of Victoria. The mural is
currently on display in the Faculty of Social Science