signed lower right
Provenance: Former collection of David McLaron, Fort Smith NT , acquired directly from the artist
Born in the village of Wingate in County Durham, England, Ted Harrison studied art, design and teaching at both Hartlepool College of Art and King’s College (University of Durham). He travelled broadly while serving with the Intelligence Unit of the British Army during WWII, and then taught in many parts of the world. Harrison immigrated to Canada in 1967 and, soon after, this experienced world-traveler would comfortably settle into a long teaching career in Carcross, Yukon Territories. This small Northern town, Harrison’s home for many years, came to feature prominently in the artist’s body of work, which provide us with impressions of the northern landscape and observations of daily life. In this early work, Harrison’s focal point is the Caribou Hotel, a landmark in Carcross, with a history that dates back to the Gold Rush. As people go about their everyday lives, the hotel’s proprietor greets them from the doorway, and Harrison has even added a whimsical touch to the scene, including the town’s infamous resident, Polly the Parrot, in the hotel window.
