Fall 2006 - Durham College

STROKES
OF GENIUS
© JANICE TANTON, 1989-2004. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
by BRANDI MCLAUGHLIN
ONE OF GRAD JANICE TANTON’S LIMITED EDITION PAINTINGS, THE SNOW FAMILY.
You may have worn her art, hung it on
your wall, or mailed it in the form of a
greeting card. Janice Tanton’s life has
changed in many ways over the years,
but her love of painting has remained a
constant.
Interested in learning all she could about
the arts, Tanton attended Graphic Design at
Durham College. She said her experience
at the college gave her the building blocks
she needed to advance her skills. “The
program gave me basic design principles
and the tools to move on and expand.”
Her many accomplishments include
licensing images to The Bradford Exchange,
which published her artwork on collector’s
plates, and image licensing to in-store
branding programs and clothing at stores
such as Northern Reflections and
Northern Elements.
Other companies that have purchased
Tanton’s work include Country Home
Candle Co. Inc., for which she is the
creative director and designer, Home
Hardware, Costco and Sears. Tanton
is best known for her limited editions.
These paintings of country scenes and
homes from the Victorian era, are also
published on greeting cards and calendars.
Her line of teddy bear paintings called
Hucklebeary Hollow TM has been one of the
most popular themes of her career. A gift
line arose from it, stationery companies
picked it up, and plates were produced
with the bears imprinted across them.
Tanton said one of the highlights of her
career was being asked to take part in the
first Canada/US Businesswomen’s Trade
Summit. Over 100 businesswomen were
selected to take part, and Tanton was
honoured that she was recognized. They
met and discussed the future of women
in various businesses and industries in
a cross-border setting between the two
countries. She says it was exciting to be
a part of this, and surrounded by such
successful women.
Recently her family moved from Haliburton,
Ontario to Canmore, Alberta, looking for
a change of pace and new opportunities.
The busy mother of two boys and one girl
is currently employed full time at The Banff
Centre as program production manager
for aboriginal leadership and management.
On top of this, she runs her own design
and illustration company.
For her future, Tanton hopes to keep
enjoying her job in Banff, while running
her company. She instructed for two weeks
in July for the Haliburton School of Fine
Arts at Sir Sandford Fleming College, in
Peterborough, Ontario, on creativity in
leadership and environmental drawing,
creativity and design. Painting will always
be her passion, and her love of art shows
in her work.
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REFLECTIONS | FALL 2006
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