BIOGRAPHY
Emily was born in Victoria on December 13, 1871 and died in March, 1945, just two blocks from the house she was born in. She lived most of her life in Victoria, painting landscapes and First Nations' totems seen on her travels through British Columbia. In her teens Emily decided she would be a painter, and received formal art training in England and France. As a young woman she tried to make a living from her artwork through teaching and painting in Vancouver and Victoria. Between 1912 and 1928, Emily gave up her career as an artist and earned a living as a landlord, renting rooms in a house she built on her father's land in Victoria.
In 1927 she was invited to join an exhibition of west coast artists showing at the National Gallery in Ottawa. During her visit to Ottawa, Emily met the artists from the Group of Seven. She was highly impressed and influenced by these meetings and began to paint again. Her best work was done in this time, between 1928 and her death in 1945.
INTRODUCTION
While visiting this website, take a virtual
House Tour
of the Italianate Victorian house where Emily was born. Restored by the B.C. Heritage Branch, Carr House is furnished as it might have been when Emily was a little girl. Teachers and primary students will enjoy the architectural Scavenger Hunt.
In the Writing section , read Emily's memories of being "Small" in her family of 4 sisters, a brother and English parents, as well as see a unique travel journal Emily kept in 1910. Visit the Family Album of archival images of the Carr Family.
This website has an On-Line Exhibition of Emily Carr collection information and images from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the B.C. Archives and Records Service and Emily Carr House to create a compendium of her work . Over 400 images of her paintings, sketches, drawings, cartoons, pottery and weaving can be viewed! We have included dates, medium, title, holding institution and dimensions, where possible. Links to other institutional websites with Emily Carr art images can be found here.
As well, visit our Current Events / Current Issues pages, where we have a ghost story about Emily, we explore copyright issues related to Carr material, and have current events information and visiting hours for Carr House, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, The Vancouver Art Gallery, and the B.C. Archives and Records Branch.
Finally, have a look at the Team/Sponsors - the people who created this site and the people who funded the project (hurrah & thanks!). This is where you can reach us - send a comment, send some research, send a project, send a question!
Jennifer Iredale, Curator, Carr House B.C. Heritage Branch Jennifer_Iredale@gems4.gov.bc.ca
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