Lot #10: Dramatic Artist Signed Toller Cranston 1973 "The Sacred Guilt" Framed Fantasy Litho 35"

Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston  (April 20, 1949 January 24, 2015) was a Canadian figure skater and painter. He won the 19711976 Canadian national championships, the 1974 World bronze medal and the 1976 Olympic bronze medal. Despite never winning at the World Figure Skating Championships due to his poor compulsory figures, he won the small medal for free skating at the 1972 and 1974 championships. Cranston is credited by many with having brought a new level of artistry to men's figure skating.  After leaving the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Cranston became self-supporting as an artist, making enough money to cover his skating expenses. He held his first exhibition at his teacher Ellen Burka's home in the spring of 1969.In November 1971, he had another successful one-man show in Toronto, the result of almost a year's work.Thereafter, he continued to have gallery and museum displays, with over 250 exhibitions around the world.