In the early decades of the 20th century, Victoria’s artists lived in a world of informal networks and makeshift exhibition spaces. Schools, churches, and private homes became galleries by necessity, and the Island Arts and Crafts Society, founded in 1909, provided one of the few organized platforms for artists to display their work. Yet even in this close-knit community, opportunities for serious public engagement were limited. For Emily Carr, the city she called home…
The BC Archives, housed within the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, is the province’s primary repository for records that document the political, social, economic, and cultural history of British Columbia. It holds a vast and diverse range of materials—everything from government files and family papers to maps, films, audio recordings, and works of art. For anyone interested in the life and legacy of Emily Carr, the BC Archives is not only a valuable resource—it’s…
In her autobiographical writing, Emily Carr was careful to portray herself in the tradition of the romantic individual by highlighting historical facts about herself that conformed to the modernist image of the artist as a professional and a genius, and downplaying those that did not. Born during a snowstorm, “contrary from the start,” she emphasized her difference from the rest of her family and insinuated that her “fondness for drawing” was not only viewed…
