An Analysis of Emily Carr's Artistic Career and Impact

This essay provides an in-depth exploration of the artistic life and career of Emily Carr, a celebrated Canadian artist. It examines her contributions to Canadian art history, highlighting her fascination with Canadian culture, environment, and nature, as well as her focus on Aboriginal culture and the natural world. The essay details her educational background, including studies in the United States, England, and France, and discusses her early artistic endeavors, including her art classes for children. It also addresses her recognition by the National Gallery of Canada, her international acclaim, and her literary achievements. The essay emphasizes her nationalist perspective and her ability to inspire others through her art, particularly her innovative approach to pattern, tonal variations, composition, and color. The essay also includes a bibliography of sources used for research.

RUNNING HEAD: EMILY CARR
Emily Carr Essay

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Contents
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................6

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The essay is prepared on the renowned artist ‘Emily Carr’. The basic purpose of the
Essay is to provide an insight with the artistic life and career of the artist. It includes the
contribution of the Emily Carr towards the Canadian art history. Additionally, it also comprises
of the inspiration led by the artist on particular individual.
Emily Carr was born 13 December in the year 1871 in Canada. She had completed her
academics from the United States, England and France and had begun her artistic life in Canada.
She was highly fascinated with the Canada and thus started painting Canadian culture,
environment and nature (Britannnica, 2019). From the early childhood, she was fascinated
towards drawing. As she turned 18, she had attended the ‘California School of Design’ to study
art. After completing her study in Art, she had started art classes for the children.
Figure1: Portray of Emily Carr
Source: (Design, 2019)
At the age of 57 years, she had received the reputation for her work as ‘National Gallery
of Canada’ has gained an attention towards her artistic work. She was a renowned international

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painter and writer. She has achieved glorious success at the time where Canadian women mere
given importance in the international world. The two prominent theme of her artistic career was
‘Aboriginal Culture’ and ‘Natural world’. Her art had crossed the national boundary and attained
a place in the exhibition of United States and Europe (Design, 2019). Additionally for her
writing, she had received ‘Governor General’s Literary-language non-fiction award’. To set an
example of her excellent work, university named ‘Emily Carr University of Art and Design’ was
established in the year 1925 (Study.CA, 2019).
Figure 2: Emily Carr University
Source: (Chan, 2017)
It was assessed that after death, she was considered as a Canadian icon. Gradually, she
was appreciated as the twentieth century artist as her art was included in several major
exhibitions. Her seven paintings were selected for showcase at ‘Documenta (13)’, it is an
international art exhibition held at a repetition of five year in Germany.

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Figure 3: Four Paintings among the seven in the Documenta (13)
Source: (Institute, 2019)
Figure 4: Emily painting at Vancouver Art gallery
Source: (TimberWest, 2017)

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She had laid a great contribution towards the Canadian art history. She was considered as
an environmentalist as she had a great collection of the forests and mountainsides paintings.
Additionally, through her paintings, she had promoted the values and art of the Canadian
northwest coast people. Some of her popular paintings are ‘THE FOREST, SKY, AND, SEA’,
‘EARLY FIRST NATIONS THEMES’ (Baldissera, 2019). She was deeply aware of the
importance of the cultural diversity of the Canada. She was a nationalist, thus attains huge
respect and love towards Canadian culture (Jensen, 2015).
Emily Carr affection for her Canadian culture is one of the most inspiring things. She had
beautifully designed the Canadian culture. It encourages me as through her paintings she had
poured light on the Canadian culture in the global world. Her habit of experimenting with the
pattern, tonal variations, composition and colour had also fascinated me as to be innovative
rather than adhering to the old means (Baldissera, 2019).

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Bibliography
Baldissera, L. (2019, July 17). STYLE & TECHNIQUE. Retrieved from Lisa Baldissera:
https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/emily-carr/style-and-technique
Britannnica. (2019, July 16). Emily Carr. Retrieved from Britannnica:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emily-Carr
Chan, K. (2017, September 8). 19 photos of Emily Carr University's new False Creek Flats
campus. Retrieved from Daily Hive: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/emily-carr-
university-vancouver-false-creek-flats-great-northern-way-campus-photos
Design, U. o. (2019, July 16). Emily Carr, the Artist. Retrieved from University of Art and
Design: https://www.ecuad.ca/about/at-a-glance/emily-carr-the-artist
Institute, A. C. (2019, July 17). SIGNIFICANCE & CRITICAL ISSUES. Retrieved from Art
Canada Institute: https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/emily-carr/significance-and-critical-
issues
Jensen, P. M. (2015). Artist Emily Carr and the Spirit of the Land: A Jungian Portrait. United
Kingdom: Routledge.
Study.CA, U. (2019, July 17). EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN. Retrieved from
University Study.CA: https://www.universitystudy.ca/canadian-universities/emily-carr-
university-of-art-design/
TimberWest. (2017, May 8). TimberWest Proud Sponsor of Vancouver Art Gallery Emily Carr
Exhibition. Retrieved from TimberWest: https://www.timberwest.com/timberwest-proud-
sponsor-of-vancouver-art-gallery-emily-carr-exhibition/