Tara Bryan passed away in September 2020. In 2021, the Tara Bryan Legacy Fund (TBLF) was created to celebrate her memory by expanding and supporting Book Arts and Visual Arts in Newfoundland and Labrador. The TBLF is hosted through and partnered with the Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
A key, beloved figure in the arts community of this province, Tara had a prolific and far-reaching career. Her works, both in paint and on page, instill a sense of wonder in the viewer. She challenged us to observe—whether experiencing a story as it unfolded or looking closely at a landscape alive with light and colour. Although celebrated locally for her landscape paintings and imagery of icebergs, she was also fundamental to the book arts community both locally and internationally. She was known for her original, inventive handmade artists’ books, many of which were letterpress-printed and bound in her own printshop: walking bird press. Tara was a generous collaborator, often printing works with many other artists and writers. She was, in her own words, “inspired by the process of collaboration and the unexpected outcome of working closely with other artists.” She was also a lifelong arts advocate and educator, with a remarkable teaching style that left an indelible mark on many.
Since 2023, the TBLF has hosted annual workshops and talks led by professional book artists from across Canada and the US and we are planning to expand our reach.
The TBLF also sponsors the annual VANL-CARFAC Tara Bryan Endurance Award recognizing the consistent dedication and commitment of an NL artist to their professional practice and to sustained creative output and performances. This award is selected by VANL and presented at VANL-CARFAC’s annual Excellence in Visual Arts (EVA) Awards each spring.
You can donate to the fund on the CFNL’s TBLF webpage. It is a registered charity through the Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
FLATROCK, NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA
Painter and Book Artist