Emily Carr
Connections to two other important Canadian figures:
Sophie Pemberton, a Canadian artist and art educator, was one of Emily’s early mentors. Sophie’s influence can be seen in Emily’s early works. She influenced her bold lines and confidence in Emily’s art, Staging a great part in Emily’s art style.
A fellow Canadian artist, Jack Shadbolt was a contemporary of Emily Carr. They were friends, and Shadbolt was supportive of Emily’s art. Later in his career, Shadbolt also explored Indigenous themes, reflecting a connection with Carr's interests. They both are known for their love for nature, reflected in their works.
Sophie Pemberton
(Emily Carr and the Group of Seven, 1927, by Arthur Lismer)
1. Group of Seven: Emily Carr’s connections with the Group of Seven boosted her art career and self-esteem, after receiving a lot of inspiration and encouragement from the members. She was particularly close to Lawren Harris, who was a mentor to her. Her interaction with the Group of Seven led to her producing some of her most famous artworks today.
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Contribution:
1. Emily is remembered primarily for her paintings. She was one of the artists who attempted to capture the spirit of Canada in a modern style. Emily's main themes in her mature work were the monumental works of the First Nations and nature: native totem poles set in deep forest locations or sites of abandoned native villages and, later, the large rhythms of Western forests, driftwood-tossed beaches, and expansive skies. She blended these two themes in ways uniquely her own. Impacting modern and indigenous artworks.
2. Emily's work is still of relevance today to contemporary artists. Her painting Old Time Coast Village (1929–30) is referred to in Korean Canadian artist Jin-me Yoon's A Group of Sixty-Seven (1996). The work is composed of sixty-seven portraits of the Korean Canadian community in Vancouver standing in front of Old Time Coast Village and a landscape painting by Group of Seven member Lawren Harris.
Old Time Coast Village
(Odds and Ends, 1938-1939)
1. Environmental Activism: Emily Carr was an environmentalist and liked to spread awareness through her art, which portrayed natural landscapes through a bold lens. Her concerns for the environment were depicted in her paintings, such as the one shown above.
2. Returning the totem poles: Emily Carr tried to advocate to return totem poles in museums and public spaces to their rightful Indigenous communities, as she thought it was culturally significant. She did it through her exhibition and talks hosted in museums and galleries. Both notions were not successful, as societal attitudes at the time did not show the cultural appreciation she did.
Interesting Facts:
1. Romance Life: Emily never married, and there is limited information about her romantic life. She dedicated much of her energy to her art and studying Indigenous cultures. as she was a private person and did not extensively document her relationships. However, it is widely acknowledged that Emily remained single throughout her life. There is no substantial evidence to suggest that she had a long-term romantic partner or spouse.
2. Hobbie: Emily was known to dress her monkey, Woo, in little outfits and bring her along to various places, including art classes and visits to Indigenous communities. This unusual and endearing companionship added a distinctive aspect to Emily's personality, showcasing her love for animals and her unconventional approach to life. Woo even makes appearance in some of Emily's paintings, immortalizing the bond between the artist and her beloved monkey.
Woo
(Emily Carr with pets, 1918)
1. Pets: Emily Carr had many pets, including cats, chipmunks, a parrot, and a monkey.
2. Early art career: Emily Carr started her art career as an art teacher and turned her barn into a room to teach children.
Profession:
Pacific Indigenous culture and traditions mainly influenced Emily Carr’s artwork, and she was heavily influenced by the British Colombian landscape.
(Emily Carr, Potlatch Figure (Mimquimlees), 1912,)
Emily Carr is one of the most prominent artists in Canada, sporting a unique semi-realistic style and an appreciation for Canadian landscapes and Indigenous cultures in her paintings. Her use of bold forms and bright colours allowed the muted everyday scenery of Canada to come to life.
One of the first famous artists from the West Coast of Canada. Her art became very popular during her later years.
(Emily Carr’s autobiography)
She was a professional artist and writer, who wrote an autobiography after old age and illness put her painting career to a halt. It was titled “Klee Wyck,” meaning “Laughing One.” It was given to her by the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation.
Political/Artist Life:
(Emily Carr, (right corner) in St. Ives art school in Cornwall, England)
While studying art in Europe, she was exposed to elements of the then-popular cubism genre of art. This helped her develop her unique, post-impressionism style.
Emily Carr found Europe too busy and preferred studying in Canada.
She frequently travelled to study and find inspiration for her artwork. One of her favourite types of excursions were to stay with Pacific-Indigenous communities. Her appreciation for their way of life and Canada's natural scenery inspired most of her works.
(Kaitlyn Yang)
(Emily Carr, (Bell), 1927)
Advocated for the study and appreciation of Indigenous culture because it was severely underrepresented at the time. She still believed that it was a “disappearing culture” and that the Indigenous way of life would not last in Canada’s Eurocentric society.
Emily Carr wanted to show appreciation for West Coast Indigenous culture, and set up an exhibition.
(Kaitlyn Yang)
Personal Life:
The Carr children were raised in an English household. Her father believed it was sensible to live on Vancouver Island, a colony of Great Britain, where he could practice English customs and continue his British citizenship. The family home was made up in lavish English fashion, with high ceilings, ornate moldings, and a parlor. She returned to British Columbia in 1904. In 1905, she gave children's art classes a go as well as created political cartoons for the Week, a newspaper program in 1906, Emily took a teaching position in Vancouver at the Vancouver Studio Club and School of Art for a short time but left to open her own studio and taught children's art.
Emily Carr's University
Early life:
Emily Carr was born on December 13, 1871, in British Columbia, Canada. She was the second-youngest of nine children in the Carr family. Her parents were English immigrants. Her father, Richard Carr, was born in Crayford, Kent, England, and had traveled in Europe, North and South Americas, and the Caribbean in search of a place where his entrepreneurial ventures could flourish. Emily received her early art education in San Francisco and later traveled to England, where she continued her studies. Emily Carr explored various spiritual and philosophical ideas throughout her life. She had an interest in Native spirituality and was inspired by the totemic art and the natural world of the Pacific Northwest.
The house Emily Carr used to live in
Emily Sun
