Phillippa Cranston Baran
Phillippa is the author of Toller Cranston, Ice Paint, Passion, the 2024 best seller about her late brother, Toller Cranston, 2-time Olympian and distinguished international artist. She is a former university film professor (BA, Queens University; MA Film, UCLA), award-winning writer/producer, and for several years, a dairy goat farmer. These journeys each have their own colourful and outrageous stories, but the combination of success, challenge, and craziness equipped her to write about her iconic brother. In the process of writing this book, Phillippa had to deal with corruption, extortion, and threats by gun-toting thugs. Like her famous brother, she is not a quitter.
When Toller passed away suddenly in Mexico in January 2015, Phillippa became Estate Trustee. During a punishing ten-year journey to resolve her brother’s estate, she acquired a boatload of stories ranging from hideous to hilarious, and a great deal of hard-earned wisdom and experience that she is always happy to share with various audience groups. She has established the Toller Cranston Foundation at TollerInternational.com and remains dedicated to building and consolidating her brother’s legacy in Canada and around the world.
She is a competitive Duplicate Bridge player and holds the rank of Ruby Life Master. She lives in the historic family cottage on the Ottawa River near Arnprior, Canada.
Toller Cranston, Artistic Impressions launched November 2025
A new art book, Toller Cranston, Artistic Impressions celebrates the astonishing creative output of a Canadian icon who continues to inspire ten years after his death in 2015. The artworks are stunning, the stories behind the artworks are poignant, the messages to young artists and athletes—be brave, chase your destiny, dream big, and do the work—resonate. The book is published by Ken Whyte and his team at Sutherland House Books who provide unwavering commitment to books by, for, and about Canadians. Together, we are Canada Strong.
Launch Events:
January 25, 2026, Historic O’Brien Theatre, Arnprior @2pm
…these books brings to life one of the most compelling and inspirational people Canada has ever produced.
2024 International Impact Book Award Winner, Logo- 2024 International Impact Book Award Winner, Certificate
- 2024 International Firebird Book Award Winner, Interior Book Design
- 2024 Finalist, Best Book Awards, Sports
- 2024 International Firebird Book Award Winner, Judges Choice
- 2022 Shortlisted, Sutherland House Prize for Non-Fiction
- 2024 International Firebird Book Award Winner, Sports
- Literary Global Book Awards Winner
Get Them here:
Speeches and Presentations
Phillippa is an in-demand speaker who is frequently invited to address various audience groups about her book, her brother, and her precedent-setting experiences with her brother’s estate—mistakes made, battles fought, and lessons learned.
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Upcoming Events
- Executor Survival: Navigating Choppy Waters—Tips, Hints and Cautionary Tales from the Frontlines of Estates Hell – ClearView Financial Media – Part One: August 4.
- Muskoka Chautauqua Festival, Windermere, August 9, 2025
- Toller Exhibition & Book-signing, Beveragino, Port Carling, August 10, 2025
- Executor Survival: Navigating Legal and Emotional Turbulence—Lawyers and Family– ClearView Financial Media – Part Two: August 18.
- Executor Survival: Navigating an Estate with Artworks—Strategic Options for Valuable Assets– ClearView Financial Media – Part Three: September 2.
- Power Up – Aviso Wealth presentation, September 10, 2025
- Manulife Conference, The Toller Cranston Journey, Scottsdale, AZ, October 7, 2025
- 11th World Championships, World Figure Sport, Lake Placid NY, October 6-12, 2025
- GALA Launch Event for “Artistic Impressions”, Donna Child Fine Art Gallery, Toronto, ON, November 2025
- San Miguel International Writers’ Conference, Mexico, February, 2026
- OLY House, Winter Olympics, Milano-Cortina, 2026
Book Related News & Recent Media
Phillippa Cranston on Her Brother Toller: Toronto Mike’d Podcast Episode 1811
In this 1811th episode of Toronto Mike’d, Mike chats with Phillippa Cranston about her facinating life and extraordinary brother Toller Cranston who was a figure skating champion and prolific artist. This episode is exactly 1:17:42.
Dead Man Walking Podcast with Fred Rutman.
At the Temiskaming Art Gallery with artist Cesar Forero.
Sutherland House: Reading Suggestions.
Hue at Home with Tracy Koga: Phillippa Cranston Baran and her book ‘Ice, Paint, Passion.
2022 Podcast #3Turn3 with Pj Kwong and Haig Oundjian. Skate Ontario.
Article: [ICE TIME] Skating Great Toller Cranston’s Incredible Life Captured in New Book – May 29, 2024 by Jack Gallagher
Review: Lou Braibant reviews “Toller Cranston: Ice, Paint, Passion.”
theHumm Interview with Phillippa by Kris Riendeau. (download PDF)
ALBERTA MORNING: Phillippa Cranston Baran and her brother’s legacy.
Terrifying obsession: Cochrane gallery launches largest exhibit of Toller Cranston’s Artwork. (read Here)
How Toller Cranston redefined the artistry of men’s figure skating & became a queer icon.
Skateguard Blog Interview: Talking Toller with Phillippa Cranston Baran.
Oldies 107.7 – various links.
Toller Cranston book debuts in Arnprior
By Jake Davies – West Carleton Online.
Article in the International publication from Germany: Eissport Magazin.
Baran to speak on Cranston at Culture in Arnprior By Jake Davies – West Carleton Online.