New to the Collection: The Art of James Tanner
- whytemuseum
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
Back to The Cairn
By Amie Lalonde, Registrar & Assistant Curator
James Tanner Art Donation Brings Mountaineering Stories into The Whyte's Collection
This Spring, The Whyte was pleased to accept a donation of 14 works by artist James Tanner. When we were approached by Mark Tanner, James’ son, about adding these works to the collection, we were immediately captivated by them, both for their content and for their bold, expressive use of classical figure drawing and still-life techniques. For those discovering James Tanner’s art for the first time, these works offer a compelling glimpse into the life of a Canadian artist whose creative practice was deeply shaped by climbing, mountaineering, and time spent outdoors.
Who Was James Tanner?
James (Jim) Tanner (1950 – 2022) was born in Calgary and originally earned a degree in Civil Engineering before deciding to follow his artistic dreams and pursue both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Calgary. As an Associate Professor of Fine Arts at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, he taught painting and drawing for 30 years. He was an elected member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, and his work has been exhibited across Canada and acquired by various private and institutional collectors, including the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Kelowna Art Gallery.
In addition to being an artist, Tanner was an avid climber and mountaineer, and his works illustrate the blending of those identities in charcoal, watercolour, and oil. Tanner recorded numerous climbing first ascents; examples of which are catalogued in the Canadian Alpine Journal. Chic Scott’s book, “Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering,” notes his first ascent of Pope’s Peak. At home in B.C., Tanner was a founding member of the Okanagan Section of the Alpine Club of Canada. The 14 works that are now part of The Whyte’s art collection depict snapshots of life outdoors and quiet moments at camp on climbing expeditions. These works do not show the grand, sweeping mountain vistas so typical of works representing the Rockies. Instead, they are focused on the small objects and intimate human moments, showcasing the relationships that we form while recreating outdoors.
Climbing Partners, Captured in Charcoal and Paint
Tanner climbed with some of the Rockies mountaineering communities biggest names, such as John Lauchlan, Charlie Locke, Chic Scott, Rick Collier, John Martin, and Bob Saunders - many of whom were the subjects of his art and are featured in the works collected here.
Athabasca Ford features Bob Saunders and Steve Smith after climbing Mt. Clemenceau. Route Planning shows Bob Saunders and Lorne Perry gathered around a map during a trip to climb Mt. Odin in the Monashees. In this work, Lorne gazes straight ahead at the viewer, as if the viewer is there planning the climb with the two of them.
Gallery 1
His charcoal sketches invite you to lean in, look closer, and discover more each time you look. Dark Pages, at first glance, appears to simply be a still life of trousers and climbing equipment. Looking closely, however, a figure is visible below the trousers – John Lauchlan reading in a tent while on the north face of Mt. Temple, which Tanner and Lauchlan climbed together in 1976. This drawing is dated a decade after Lauchlan tragically died in an avalanche, age 27, while climbing the massive Rockies ice route Polar Circus. Knowing this, the drawing takes on the feeling of a tribute: a snapshot of a friend taking a quiet moment during a successful climb.
Each charcoal sketch is similarly detailed, showcasing Tanner’s immense technical skill and the storytelling imbued in his work.
A Highlight from the Collection
My personal favourite piece is Plover, in which Tanner expertly melds his formal art background with his life as a climber. Here, the classical form of Crouching Venus is mirrored by the figure of Lorne Perry, mountaineer and artist (and author of “Drawing from The Mountain: an illustrated journey”), seated on a log.
The portrait of Perry is casual and serene; it resembles a quick snapshot more than a posed and calculated portrait. It invites the viewer into the painting, making you feel as if you, too, were out with them and had just paused by a creek to catch your breath and watch the birds skip across the stones. As in many of his compositions, the different sections of the painting are layered as if stapled on top of one another, with a third, featuring a Plover skimming over a creek, partially hidden beneath a glove, giving the painting a three-dimensional effect, turning the various elements of the painting into paintings within the larger composition.
We would like to thank Dianne, Aria, and Mark Tanner for this generous donation and for the information on James’ life and career.
Follow us on social media and keep an eye on The Cairn for more updates on this donation, our collection, and upcoming exhibitions and programs at The Whyte.
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 111 Bear Street, Banff, AB.
Gallery 1 Photos (L to R):
Bob Saunders, 1985, graphite on paper. Collection of The Whyte, Gift of Dianne Tanner, Kelowna, 2026. TaA.03.06
Winter, 1993, charcoal on paper. Collection of The Whyte, Gift of Dianne Tanner, Kelowna, 2026. TaA.03.03
Above and Below, 1995, charcoal on paper. Collection of The Whyte, Gift of Dianne Tanner, Kelowna, 2026. TaA.03.01.
Coverings, 1994, charcoal on paper. Collection of The Whyte, Gift of Dianne Tanner, Kelowna, 2026. TaA.03.02
Dark Pages, 1992, charcoal on paper. Collection of The Whyte, Gift of Dianne Tanner, Kelowna, 2026. TaA.03.05
Rucksack, 1992, charcoal on paper. Collection of The Whyte, Gift of Dianne Tanner, Kelowna, 2026. TaA.03.04
Back to The Cairn
Comments