Emily Carr, born in 1871 in Victoria, British Columbia, was a pioneering Canadian artist and writer whose deep connection to her hometown shaped much of her life and work. Raised in a strict English household on Government Street, she grew up exploring the nearby forests and seashores—early influences that would later define her art.
After studying in San Francisco, England, and France, Carr returned to Victoria where she struggled for recognition, living for many years at the “House of All Sorts,” a boarding house she ran to support herself. Though she often felt stifled by the conservative culture of Victoria, it remained her lifelong base and the emotional core of her identity. From this coastal city, she launched painting trips into Indigenous villages and remote landscapes, returning with canvases that challenged artistic norms. In her final years, Victoria embraced her legacy, and it is here she died in 1945, now celebrated as a Canadian icon.
The Forest Through the Eyes of Emily Carr
latest blog post
Wed, Oct 14, 2026
her circle
An educator, broadcaster, editor and devoted friend, Ira Dilworth helped Emily Carr discover a second career as a writer. Their relationship, which developed during the final five years of her life, was one of the most important personal and professional friendships of her later years. But Dilworth’s contribution to the arts and Emily Carr’s legacy did not end with her death. As her literary executor, he became the person responsible for bringing much of her unpublished writing to the public...
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Emily Carr Chronicles Guided Walks
Step into the world of Emily Carr on this engaging two-hour guided walk through historic James Bay, Victoria's oldest neighbourhood. We'll explore the places where one of Canada's most celebrated artists lived, worked, and found inspiration. If you appreciate art, local history, biography and storytelling you will not want to miss this walk.
hosted, designed & maintained by Marilyn Jones for the Emily Carr courses, presentations, talks & walks she offers in person and online from Victoria, BC.
