Joan McArthur is ending her affiliation with Due North Communications of Toronto in the new year to focus on writing and producing radio advertising.

This has been a big part of what McArthur has been doing for Goodyear, the agency’s major client, but now she wants to expand her horizons.

Due North will be looking for a new creative director to replace McArthur, who has had an alliance with the agency since it opened with the Goodyear Canada business in 1993.

She was let go from her position as creative director at McCann-Erickson in 1992, where she had developed the Goodyear advertising that still uses comedic u.s. actor Thom Sharpe as spokesperson.

McArthur is looking for projects, although she is still unsure whether she will pursue this new venture on her own or through an affiliation with someone else.

She will keep an office at Due North until the end of January while she formalizes her plans.