Ted Harrison biography: 10 B.C. schools have a chance to win new biography of the painter
North by Northwest has 'Draw My School' contest to celebrate the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards
A new children's biography of renowned Canadian painter Ted Harrison is nominated for the prestigious TD Canadian Children's Literature Award on Nov. 18, which is presented in association with CBC.
Ten schools in B.C. could also have the chance to be winners and receive the biography A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison, as well as the four other books nominated for the award.
Youth between the ages of five and 13 can enter to win the prize for their school library by drawing a picture of whatever they like about their school — it can be a person, place, or something they do there — and send it to North by Northwest by emailing nxnw@cbc.ca before Nov. 28.
"[Ted Harrison] believed in imagination, and that curiosity and imagination are free for all of us, and they're a tool to another world. He said, 'I can do whatever I want as an artist,' and so can you," said biographer Katherine Gibson, during a visit to St. George's Junior School in Vancouver, which has a mural designed by the late painter in 2003 and painted by former students at the school.
Gibson co-authored the book with Margriet Ruurs, a veteran children's book writer from Salt Spring Island.
Ruurs told North by Northwest host Sheryl MacKay that she was inspired to write a biography about Harrison because she often saw his paintings hanging in the schools she visited on her book tours.
"I would purposely say to the kids, 'Do you know which artist painted this beautiful, bright, happy picture?' And the kids would look at the art and they were very familiar with it, but sometimes they couldn't quite remember his name."
"And I thought, 'Why isn't there a book that tells these kids about this interesting man?"
The other books that schools can win through this contest are:
- Any Questions? — Written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay (Montreal, QC)
- From Vimy to Victory: Canada's Fight to the Finish in World War I — Written by Hugh Brewster (Toronto, ON)
- Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress — Written by Christine Baldacchino (Toronto, ON), illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant (Montreal, QC)
- The Night Gardener — Written by Jonathan Auxier (Pittsburgh, PA)
Contest details:
Email nxnw@cbc.ca and put DRAW MY SCHOOL CONTEST in the subject line of the email.
Make sure to include the child's name, age, the name of the school and what city or town you live in.
We need to know how to contact you. If you like, add a couple of lines about what the picture is about.
To hear the full interview with Katherine Gibson, listen to the audio labelled: Katherine Gibson, co-author of children's biography about Ted Harrison, speaks to students at St. George's Junior High School