Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/398704
Faces of Philanthropy By his mid-30s, Tanabe had begun selling his abstract expres- sionist paintings through his first art dealer, the Mira Godard Gallery in Montreal (now in Toronto), though he was still a long way off from acclaim and recognition. He took on odd jobs such as dry- walling, and even relied on Godard for rent money for a year, to make ends meet. Over coffee in Vancouver, Tanabe spoke of his early financial struggles with a candid and clear-eyed recollection. He also recalled with utter delight his first commercially successful exhibition in the early 1970s, a time when he was beginning to transition from abstract art to landscapes. For the first time, sales from his paintings could conceivably allow him to concentrate on his art without worrying about income. He had, however, signed a contract agreeing to work at the Banff School of Fine Arts, starting in 1973. "So I phoned the director and I said, 'I've finally had enough sales that I don't need a job. So thanks very much for the offer to be the head of the art department in Banff but I've got enough money, finally,'" says Tanabe. e director of the school was not so easily swayed. He insisted Tanabe fulfil his contract. "But it was a good move," Tanabe says firmly. "Because driving across the Prairies to get there, I saw the Prairies flat and I said, 'at's my subject.'" Tanabe's dramatic landscapes of the Prairies would become one of his most defining subjects, admired for their simplicity of land and sky, as well as his use of colour and light. As his career took off, Tanabe also immediately set about estab- lishing scholarships at the Banff School of Fine Arts and gave out two or three anonymously every year. It was the beginning of a pat- tern he would continue for the rest of his life. "ose who got accepted were grateful they had the chance to come and sit every day and just be artists," says Tanabe. "I think that was the kind of thing that motivated me to say, 'OK, I've got a few dollars, I'll help you because it would've been the best thing in the world when I was going to school and studying if I got a few dollars.' Which never happened, because in those early days there were no such things as scholarships." These days, Tanabe can still be found working in his studio, located on a remote parcel of land near Parksville, B.C. e moody, mysterious West Coast seascapes continue to inspire him and he has no intention of retiring from painting, or philanthropy, anytime soon. "Giving to anybody who thinks what they're studying is impor- tant – not just to artists or possible future artists. But if the kid is serious enough to want to study something thoroughly and they don't have the money, I think it's wonderful that there are places they can get grants," he says. If you would like to learn more about how you can give back to your community, call Calvin in Development & Donor Services at Vancouver Foundation at 604.629.5357, or visit vancouverfoundtion.ca/give Takao Tanabe's youthful struggles to launch his career as an artist inspire his philanthropic activities today, just as the natural beauty of Canada's West Coast and Prairies are the inspiration behind his stunning landscapes.