Above the Gravel Pit, 1937
Vancouver Art Gallery

Emily Carr

1871–1945

Emily Carr was a pioneering artist and one of the earliest female painters in Canada. Though not formally associated with the Group of Seven (as Tom Thomson), her contributions to Canadian art were profoundly influential and significant.

Tom Thomson, a contemporary of Carr's, was closely involved with the Group of Seven, collaborating with its future members and deeply shaping their early work. His untimely death, however, meant he did not officially join the group formally founded in 1920. In contrast, Emily Carr encountered the Group of Seven in 1927, at the age of 57, already established her unique artistic voice. A deep and immediate connection formed between them, bound by their shared passion for the Canadian landscape and their desire to convey its beauty through their art.

Emily Carr was born and raised in the picturesque landscape of British Columbia, where her English parents had settled in 1863, Victoria, BC, was among the Pacific Northwest's earliest cities, with British settlement commencing in 1843.

Pemberton Meadows, 1933 (left)
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

This contrast is strikingly evident in her painting Church at Yuquot Village (formerly Indian Church), created in 1929.

Here, the powerful presence of nature dwarfs the man-made structures, highlighting their transient and delicate nature amidst the grandeur of the natural world.

In 1930, the work was shown in the Fifth Annual Exhibition of Canadian Art organised by the National Gallery of Canada.

In 1938, the Church in Yuquot Village was chosen for "A Century of Canadian Art" at the Tate Gallery in London.

Original Carr house, Victoria, BC, 1891
Royal BC Museum and Archives.
Restored in 1976 and turned into a Museum

View of Victoria from James Bay, Looking up Government Street in 1862
From “Travels in British Columbia, with the narrative of a yacht voyage round Vancouver's Island”. p. 10

“I had been schooled to see outsides only, not struggled to pierce.”

— Emily Carr. "Growing Pains"

Emily Carr as a child at age four or five, 1876
Credit: Stephen Allen Spencer
Royal BC Museum and Archives

Arithmatic, 1883-1886
An ink sketch of a pig and a donkey talking about arithmetic.
The title is misspelled by Carr.
Royal BC Museum and Archives

From a young age, her father, Richard Carr, recognized her artistic talent and encouraged her to pursue drawing lessons.
He played a pivotal role in shaping young Emily: he fostered her independence and spirit, but his authoritarian and stern demeanor also instilled a sense of alienation and rebellion in her—an aspect of her identity she retained throughout her life.

In 1890, Emily furthered her education at the California School of Design in San Francisco, dedicating three years to her studies, and then returned home.

Later, in 1899, at the age of 28, she invested her savings from teaching art classes in attending the Westminster School of Art in England with a short trip to Paris

Yet, despite her efforts, the education she received did not seem to fulfill her artistic aspirations. Why might this have been the case?

In Westminster Art School in 1901
Royal BC Museum and Archives

Emily Carr's artistic sensibilities had been deeply molded by the natural splendor of Western Canada. This beauty was woven into the fabric of her daily life and constantly inspired her. Perhaps the traditional artistic methods of the English school did not resonate with the profound connection she felt to the landscapes of her homeland, leaving her yearning for a more genuine expression of her surroundings.

This fascination may have inspired her to revisit Paris in 1910, a decade after her initial trip. At that time, Paris was a vibrant epicenter of artistic innovation, where pioneers like Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Georges Braque were redefining aesthetics through Cubism and Fauvism. Emily spent nearly two years in France, and her work from this period reflects the influences of Fauve with its bold colors, broad brushwork, and Post-Impressionist technique.

Market Scene in Brittany. 1911
National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa

French Girl and Siphons. 1911
National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa

Autumn in France. 1911
National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa

Graveyard Entrance, Campbell River. 1912
National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa

Memalilaqua, Knight Inlet. 1912
National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa

Despite the impact of European art movements, Emily Carr's heart remained deeply rooted in the breathtaking landscapes of Canada. The striking colors and grandeur of her homeland's scenery, combined with the mystical allure of First Nations art, overshadowed the European influences and deeply influenced her distinctive, vibrant style.

This unique blend of influences fostered the development of her unparalleled artistic vision.

Emily Carr’s profound admiration for the preserved culture of Indigenous peoples, kindled during her initial visits to the southern villages of British Columbia, ignited her passion for capturing the beauty of their heritage on canvas.

Upon her return to Canada, Carr immersed herself in the rich history and culture of British Columbia. She journeyed to remote villages, where she became captivated by totem poles, masks, and traditional houses of First Nations.

“…their Art touched me deeply… broadened my seeing, loosened the formal tightness…”

— Emily Carr. "Growing Pains"

Alert Bay. 1912
National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa

Tanoo, Q.C.I. 1913
Royal BC Museum and Archives

She traversed the BC coast by any means available—whether by large steamers or canoes—armed with her painting supplies, a portable easel, blankets, and enough provisions to sustain herself. Her artistic style evolved over time.

“More than ever was I convinced that the old way of seeing was inadequate to express this big country of ours, her depth, her height, her unbounded wideness, silences too strong to be broken...”

— Emily Carr. "Growing Pain"

Yan Q.C.I., 1912
Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton

During the summer of 1912, Emily Carr visited over 15 Indigenous villages, and after two months of travel, she created nearly 200 works. However, her solo exhibition the following year, organized independently at Dominion Hall in Vancouver, received mixed reviews. Profoundly discouraged and feeling professionally detached, she painted little over for more than a decade. “I never painted now”, she wrote in the chapter Rejected (Growing Pain), “had neither time nor wanting. For about fifteen years I did not paint”.

Emily Carr was already in her fifties when in 1927, she was invited by the National Gallery of Canada to participate in the "Native and Modern" exhibition, which highlighted Canadian West Coast art alongside the Group of Seven in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. Seizing this opportunity, Carr showcased a substantial collection, including 26 paintings, several hooked rugs, and pieces of decorated pottery. She was also commissioned to design the cover of the exhibition catalog, featuring a totem-like bird.

Exhibition of Canada West Coast Art
at the National Gallery in Ottawa, December 1927.
At the centre of the picture, there is a painting
Tanoo QCI, 1913 by Emily Carr
Canadian Museum of History

This pivotal event marked the end of Emily Carr’s years of solitude and isolation, bringing her the recognition and camaraderie she had long deserved. It also signaled a transformation in her artistic approach.

This exhibition provided Carr with a chance to travel and meet the members of the Group of Seven in their studios. She found “rhythm” and “poetry” in A.Y. Jackson’s paintings and admired the “sweep… of the lines, stronger colors and simpler forms” in Arthur Lismer’s work. However, it was Lawren Harris’s art that resonated with her most profoundly. In his work, she discovered something that spoke “to the very soul” of her being.

Lawren Harris (1885-1970), a leading figure of the Group of Seven, recognized the immense power of Emily Carr's talent. “You are one of us”, he told her.

“Your work is impressive… I feel you have found a way of your own wonderfully suited to the Indian spirit, Indian feeling for life and nature. The pictures… they breathe”

— Lawren Harris

For many years following their meeting, Harris and Carr sustained a vibrant and intense correspondence that provided Emily Carr with invaluable support, helping her to overcome periods of discouragement and self-doubt. His letters “were a constant source of inspiration to me” she wrote.

Forest, British Columbia, 1931-32 (right)
Vancouver Art Gallery.

Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky, 1931 (left)
Vancouver Art Gallery

“You see, your work is very individual, and so far as I know, you have the feeling of the West Coast beyond anyone – and have and will find an equivalent for it in & through paint.”

— Lawren Harris

They remained in touch until the end of Carr’s life, with Harris serving as the artistic executor of her estate.

Emily Carr’s deepening appreciation for Canada's landscapes was enriched by her growing understanding of the spiritual bond that Indigenous communities share with nature—a bond vividly expressed through their culture. This newfound perspective increasingly infused her work with a unique sensibility, evident in her iconic paintings that reflect this harmonious blend of admiration and insight.

Big Raven, 1931
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

In Emily Carr's mature works, nature is portrayed with a palpable sense of ceaseless, vigorous motion, imbuing her paintings with a dynamic and untamed energy. Against the backdrop of this immense, relentless force, everything else—be it churches, houses, or totem poles—appears fleeting, diminutive, and fragile.

Shoreline, 1936 (above)
McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg

Strait of Juan de Fuca, 1936 (right)
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Lawren Harris purchased and displayed the painting in his home, praising it as Carr’s finest work.

“...that Indian Church is a grand thing”

— Lawren Harris, quoted from "Growing Pains"

Church at Yuquot Village, 1929
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

Much like Tom Thomson, Emily Carr had a deep affection for trees, a sentiment she expressed in her diaries—later published—where she remarked that trees were far wiser than people and that her love for them was profound. Her paintings vividly portray forests as vibrant, living entities, embodying life and essence that seem almost beyond human comprehension.

“The woods are marvelous after the sun has dipped and quit tickling them”, she wrote in her diaries Hundreds and Thousands, “Then they get back to sober realities, the cake without the icing. They are themselves, then, like people alone and thinking instead of persons in a throng trying to sparkle and taking in reflections from others. Dear trees, we don’t stop half enough to love and admire them. It is as I said: go with mature and she’s easy and delicious.”

Arbutus Tree, 1922
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Fir Tree and Sky, 1935-36
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Forest (Tree Trunks), 1938-39
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Red Cedar, 1931
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

In the final decade of her life, Emily Carr grew increasingly troubled by the impact of industrialization on Canada’s natural landscapes and the lives of Indigenous peoples. These concerns were poignantly reflected in her painting "Odds and Ends" (1939).

As her health declined and she could no longer paint, Carr discovered a new writing talent. In 1941, she published her first book, *Klee Wyck*, a collection of short stories inspired by her experiences in southern British Columbia.

The title *Klee Wyck*, meaning "Laughing One," was bestowed upon her in 1899 by the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) people, further symbolizing her deep connection with the cultures and landscapes she so cherished.

The initiator and editor of the Klee Wyck publication, Ira Dilworth (1894 – 1962) a regional director for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, soon became both a literary mentor and a close confidant.

After Emily Carr’s death, Dilworth continued publishing her writing as the executor of her literary estate.

Resources

Carr participated in further exhibitions of the Group of Seven in 1930, and 1931. Her works were showcased at the Tate Gallery in London
in 1938 (with her solo exhibition presented at Vancouver Art Gallery the same year), and at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. These events expanded her network and fostered numerous new connections and friendships, solidifying her place in the art world.

Books and Articles

Emily Carr: an introduction to her life and art by Ann Newlands. Ontario : Firefly Books/Bookmakers Press, 1996

Emily Carr: Life & Work by Lisa Baldissera. Art Canada Institute. 2015

Emily Carr: Her Paintings and Sketches by Lawren Harris, Ira Dilworth, Oxford University Press (January 1, 1945)

The complete writings of Emily Carr. Vancouver : Douglas & McIntyre ; Seattle : University of Washington Press, 1997

A Concise History of Canadian Painting by Dennis Reid. Third Edition. Canada: Oxford University Press, 2012

Our Emily. The Creation of a Statue.

Odds and Ends, 1939
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Forest, QCI, 1928
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Blue Sky, 1936
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Inside a Forest, 1935
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

The Bounce of Spring, c. 1936-37 (left)
Private collection

British Columbia Landscape, c. 1934 (right)
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

The book garnered critical acclaim, earning her the Governor General's Literary Award. It seems that her initial broad national recognition came from her role as a writer. Further writings emerged, some published posthumously. In 1942 The Book of Small was published, and The House of All Sorts two years later. Shortly before her death, Carr learned that the University of British Columbia had chosen to award her an Honorary Doctor of Letters.

Her literary legacy was crucial to her artistic reputation, as her dual accomplishments as both painter and writer solidified her prominent position in the Canadian cultural scene.

Emily Carr passed away on March 2, 1945, in Victoria, yet her legacy endures through the admiration her paintings continue to inspire. Her work is prominently displayed in major art galleries across Canada, consistently attracting large audiences.

Emily Carr in Her Studio, 1939
Credit: Harold Mortimer Lamb
Royal BC Museum and Archives

In 2012, seven of Carr's paintings were featured in the prestigious international art exhibition dOCUMENTA (13) in Kassel, Germany. The selected works were The Raven (1928-29), Totem Mother, Kitwancool (1928), Vanquished (1930), Totem and Forest (1931), Forest, British Columbia (1931-32), Red Cedar (1931), and Tree Trunk (1931).

Vanquished, 1930
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

Emily Carr's legacy is honored with a variety of tributes, including having a northern British Columbia inlet, an arm of the Chapple Inlet, and a crater on Venus named after her.

Her hometown of Victoria honors its celebrated citizen with a bronze monument. Crafted by the skilled sculptor Barbara Paterson (1935).

The statue portrays Emily Carr seated with her sketchpad, accompanied by her Javanese monkey, Woo, perched on her shoulder, and her dog, Billie, standing nearby.

Museums, Archives and Galleries

National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada

Art Gallery of Hamilton, ON, Canada

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada

Art Gallery of Algoma, Marie, ON, Canada

McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Kleinburg, ON, Canada

Pemberton Museum, BC, Canada

Royal BC Museum and Archives, Victoria, BC, Canada

Vancouver Art Gallery, BC, Canada

Library of Congress, Washington, DS, USA

Carr House

The West Shore Arts Council

Emily Carr’s statue “Our Emily” on the corner of Belleville and Government Streets in Victoria, B.C,
was unveiled on October 13, 2010
Credit: Tom Watson
Source: Parks and Recreation Foundation of Victoria

Lawren Harris, 1926
Credit: M.O. Hammond,
Archives of Ontario