Takao Tanabe (b. 1926) is an important figure in Canadian painting and printmaking. Tanabe creates landscape paintings of the British Columbia coast, eliminating non-essential details, creating serene compositions which reward long contemplation. He is well known for his transcendent light and atmosphere, which fluctuates from delicate and misty to stormy and brooding. Dominated by strong horizons and large swaths of water and sky, his works are devoid of man-made elements such as cars, telephone poles, and architectural structures.