Marilyn Jones | Emily Carr Chronicler

Chronology of Emily Carr (1871–1945)

Published: 1 September, 2026
Written by Marilyn Jones

Emily Carr’s life was a remarkable journey from a privileged Victorian childhood in Victoria to becoming one of Canada’s most distinctive painters and writers. Born in 1871, she studied art in San Francisco, London and Paris before travelling throughout British Columbia, where the forests, landscapes and Indigenous communities profoundly influenced her work. Recognition came slowly. After her ambitious 1913 Vancouver exhibition, Carr withdrew from the art world for more than a decade,…

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Emily Carr and the BC Archives: A Victoria Story Moves to Colwood, BC

Published: 18 August, 2026
Written by Marilyn Jones

The relationship between Emily Carr and the BC Archives actually predates the building on Belleville Street by many decades. The provincial archives traces its origins to 1894, when librarian R.E. Gosnell began actively collecting records documenting British Columbia’s early history. The Provincial Archives was formally established in 1908 and opened to the public in 1920. By 1970, its collections had outgrown the Provincial Library, and the Archives moved into its purpose-built facility…

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From Victoria to Ottawa: Emily Carr’s Journey to the National Gallery

Published: 13 August, 2026
Written by Marilyn Jones

The story of the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) up to its initial purchase of three Emily Carr watercolours in 1928 is especially interesting because Carr’s acquisition came at a moment when the Gallery was changing from a relatively small, government-administered collection into an institution with a national vision—and when Canadian artists were beginning to be taken seriously as part of Canada’s cultural identity. Read more: Chronology of…

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