Description:

Ted Harrison, RCA (1926-2015), Canadian
BROONEY’S FAREWELL, 1992

acrylic on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled, and dated verso
36 x 24 in — 91.4 x 61 cm

Estimate: $15,000—20,000 CAD

  • Provenance: Private Collection, Vancouver, BC
    Heffel, Vancouver, BC, 29 Jun 2017, lot 334
    Private Collection, Ontario
  • Dimensions: 36 x 24 in — 91.4 x 61 cm
  • Artist Name: Ted Harrison, RCA (1926-2015)
  • Literature: Katherine Gibson, Ted Harrison: Painting Paradise (Victoria: Crown Publications, 2009).
    Ted Harrison, The Last Horizon (Vancouver: Merritt Publishing Company, 1980).
  • Medium: acrylic on canvas
  • Notes: Waddington’s is pleased to offer four canvases by acclaimed Canadian artist, Ted Harrison: Brooney’s Farewell, 1992 (lot 312), Evening Clouds, 1982 (lot 313), Girl with a Bucket, 1984 (lot 314), and Sky Children, 1981 (lot 315).

    Harrison’s distinct painting style is heavily influenced by his upbringing and vast world experience. Having grownup in a mining town in Durham, England before serving his country in World War II, grim coal mines and war bombings were the visual landscape of his youth, a landscape that runs contrary to the bright and cheerful subjects found in his paintings. However, it is these dark experiences that formed Harrison’s artistic philosophy: “death and destruction are sometimes necessary, and evil exists as surely as does good. But we must, at all costs, choose what is good, what is beautiful.”[1]

    Harrison moved to Canada in 1968 after living in England, India, East Africa, and New Zealand. He was immediately captivated by the clear air and bright skies of the Yukon: a landscape that became his muse for the next two decades. He gained inspiration from the Woodland School of Art, and his personal art collection grew to include works by Alex Janvier, Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, Bill Reid, and Arthur Shilling, among others.

    The four works on offer are prime examples of Harrison’s prolific mid-period, and wonderfully articulate his many influences. These works exhibit a complex harmony between form and colour and the connection between land and sky. The rolling sky and vibrant sun is a recurring theme in Harrison’s work, and can be largely attributed to his love for classical music. Harrison saw art and music as interchangeable and integrated the rhythm and crescendos of the songs he listened to into the waves and spirals of his painted skies. The brilliance of Harrison’s work lies in his ability to channel his many influences, ideas, and inspirations into a simple projection of the Yukon: its vast, open spaces, vivid sunsets, and the rich culture of these communities.

    Harrison’s human subjects were just as integral to the landscape as the mountains and sky, and are central themes in all four of these works. Brooney’s Farewell, 1992 (lot 312) wonderfully references the end of Harrison’s Yukon era. In 1992 Harrison and his wife Nicky made the difficult decision to move from the Yukon to Victoria, BC. This is one of the last canvases Harrison painted during his prolific twenty-four years in the Yukon.

    [1] Katherine Gibson, Ted Harrison: Painting Paradise (Victoria: Crown Publications, 2009), 37.
  • Condition: Very good overall condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

The Auctioneers will not undertake packing or shipping. The purchaser must designate and arrange for the services of an independent shipper and be responsible for all shipping and insurance expenses. The Auctioneers will, upon request, provide names of professional packers and shippers but will not be held responsible for the service or have any liability for providing this information. Reliable pre-auction estimates of shipping costs of lots offered in this sale may be obtained from:

PICK UP & SHIPPING FROM TORONTO:

When contacting the shippers please have your invoice # and item information ready.

PakShip
Attn: Taurus Chan
Tel: 905.470.6874
416.293.8225
Fax: 905.470.6875
[email protected]
www.pakship.ca

Safer Shipping
Attn: Perry Hehn
Tel: 416.299.3367
Fax: 416.299.9750
[email protected]
www.safershipping.ca

PICK UP & SHIPPING FROM VANCOUVER:

Please note that lots in our Waddington's West auctions are located in Vancouver, B.C. When contacting the shippers please have your invoice # and item information ready.

The UPS Store 424
Tel: 604-559-5446
[email protected]

PakMail
Tel: 604-472-6245
[email protected]
www.pakmailcanada.com

CITES WARNING:
Restrictions exist regarding the import and export of species protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). This includes but is not limited to items made of or containing bone (whalebone etc.), ivory, tortoise shell, seal skin, rhinoceros horn and any other animal part and is strictly controlled or forbidden by most countries. Please review your country's laws before bidding on pieces made of or containing these restricted items. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to inquire about and obtain the proper permits for artwork purchased that may contain restricted materials, if such permit can be obtained. Please contact the department for further assistance. For more information please visit www.cites.org

May 29, 2025 8:00 PM EDT
Toronto, ON, CA

Waddington's

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
CA$0 CA$199 CA$10
CA$200 CA$499 CA$20
CA$500 CA$999 CA$50
CA$1,000 CA$1,999 CA$100
CA$2,000 CA$4,999 CA$200
CA$5,000 CA$9,999 CA$500
CA$10,000 CA$19,999 CA$1,000
CA$20,000 CA$49,999 CA$2,000
CA$50,000 CA$99,999 CA$5,000
CA$100,000 CA$299,999 CA$10,000
CA$300,000 CA$999,999 CA$25,000
CA$1,000,000 CA$1,999,999 CA$50,000
CA$2,000,000 CA$2,999,999 CA$100,000
CA$3,000,000 CA$4,999,999 CA$200,000
CA$5,000,000 + CA$300,000