Toller Cranston was an artist both on and off the ice.
The Canadian figure skating icon brought freedom of expression to the sports world.
When he wasn’t skating, he showcased his unique paintings at galleries worldwide.
Cranston’s painting style featured exotic figures, imaginative landscapes, and extraordinary florals.
He passed away in 2015, but his art is very much alive.
Many of Cranston’s paintings have been sold and are scattered worldwide.
But the chance to see a collection of his work is closer than you’d think.
The Art Evolution Gallery in Cochrane has set up the biggest exhibition of Cranston’s art ever.
The show, Toller Cranston, The Legacy Paintings, will run at the gallery from November 16 to February 28.
It will feature over 100 of Cranston’s paintings and sculptures.
A Lifetime of Creativity
Cranston created and sold more than 20,000 paintings in his life, a number that surpassed Pablo Picasso’s run of 13,500 paintings.
Art Evolution has secured Cranston’s remaining paintings and owns the rights to make limited-edition copies of his work.
Art Evolution hosts art shows around the world and represents many famous artists.
It currently hosts the largest Salvador Dali sculpture exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere.
Christopher Talbot from Art Evolution said they want to keep Cranston’s art and memory alive and will keep promoting his work in their galleries in Canada, Australia, and online.
“He definitely wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, and he would have defined’ artist’ the way I do…Not just a painter, not just a skater, but just artist, period,” Cranston’s sister, Phillippa Baran, told the Calgary Herald.
A portion of the skater’s art sales will go to the Toller Cranston Foundation, which gives scholarships yearly through the Canadian Olympic Foundation.
Cranston has contributed to Canadian culture for over 50 years and is a Canadian icon.
He brought creativity and expression to both figure skating and painting.
He was a Canadian National Champion six times, World and Olympic bronze medalist, and won the International Skating Association award for Most Creative Skater of the 20th Century.
His reputation earned him spots in the Canada Sports Hall of Fame and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. The list goes on.
The Toller Cranston, The Legacy Paintings exhibit showcases only a small part of Cranston’s expressive life.
He lived and died as an artist, just like he wanted.
