Emily Carr paintings capture intense energy and shimmering light in the skies and beautiful forest landscapes of coastal BC.
Two strong themes emanate from Emily Carr's paintings - nature and the culture of
native people of the northwest coast. Emily Carr’s focus on nature is relevant in contemporary times, as it addresses the disappearance of forest lands of BC - an environmental issue that is being strongly addressed today.
Emily Carr’s paintings of First Nations encompass a large number of communities including Haida, Nuu’chah’nulth, Tlingit, Kwakwaka’wakw, and Tsimpshian. The focus of Emily Carr’s work involves paintings and sketches of the
totem poles, housefronts, masks and forest lands of native people of the northwest coast. Carr’s early documentation of Tlingit totem poles at Sitka was the very beginning of Carr’s plan, as she states in her book
Growing Pains, to salvage and develop a collection of northwest coast native artifacts and culture.
Emily Carr's Biography
Emily Carr was born in 1871 in
Victoria BC. She first studied art at the California School of Design in San Francisco and later went to Paris to explore fauvism and post-impressionist painting styles.
At 57 years of age, Emily Carr paintings were recognized by the National Gallery of Canada. Carr’s art was exhibited in November, 1927 in an exhibition on west coast native art. It is here that Carr met Lawren Harris and the Group of Seven - she was inspired by their paintings of Eastern Canada and returned to her work with new ideas and direction. A vivid account of Carr’s interpretations of First Nations’ communities is portrayed through her early documentary sketches and paintings, post-impressionist work, and various books that document Carr’s experiences and thoughts on native people of the northwest coast.
In 1937, Emily Carr experienced a serious heart attack, and with her declining health, she decided to focus on writing. She wrote a series of books including
Klee Wyck, The Book of Small and
The House of All Sorts. Her books were not as well known as her paintings. However, Carr was well recognized for her work
Klee Wyck which documents her travels to native villages. This book won the BC artist a Governor General's Award. In 1945, Emily Carr passed away in Victoria.
Emily Carr's Success Today
Emily Carr is a recognized Canadian icon, with her work being documented in books, theatre, poetry and academic writing.
In the commercial art world, Emily Carr paintings rank with the works of top Canadian painters, including Jean-Paul Riopelle and Lawren Harris.
In 2009, the Emily Carr painting Wind in Tree Tops sold for over 2 million dollars at a Heffel art auction, making it the forth highest priced painting in Canadian history. Emily Carr paintings are a rare commodity in the auction world as most are found at art galleries, museums, and owned by private collectors.
Students seeking a degree in fine arts can attend the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. Emily Carr's name is being used to represent a renowned fine arts institution; this reinforces the artist as a true Canadian icon, and shows her influence on the contemporary fine arts community.
Video - The Story of Emily Carr