1. Canadian Artist and Writer
Emily Carr 1871–1945
Emily Carr was born in Victoria, British Columbia—about an 8-hour drive from Walla Walla. This photo shows how she looked in 1936, when she was mostly painting the natural landscapes of Canada.
When Emily was growing up, her father owned a grocery store and her mother was often bedridden with tuberculosis. She began her first drawing lessons when she was 8.
Emily’s father was a big part of her art lessons, he came to the New World as a Dagguerreotypes Photographer. Which was one of the first types of photography. After her parents had both died, Emily moved to San Francisco to study art. Later she continued her studies in England and France and then she came back to Victoria in 1911.
Canadian Artist and Writer

2. Big Raven, 1931 | Zunoqua of the Cat Village, 1931
Despite her travels, Emily found her best inspiration in Canada. When she came back, she was particularly drawn to the native aboriginal communities. During that time, she painted many images like these.
What do you notice about the colors and lines in these paintings?
Big Raven, | Zunoqua of the Cat Village, 1931

3. After she had been painting totem poles and other aboriginal art for a while, one of Emily’s artist friends, Lawrence Harris, suggested she leave that subject matter alone to examine “the tremendous elusive what lies behind.”
It was then that Emily began to focus on the forests, mountains and seascapes that surrounded her. In 1933, she even purchased her own camper so that she could stay out in nature and sketch and paint.
Emily named her camper “elephant.” She usually liked to be alone, but here she is shown with friends on a sketching trip in 1934.
1934

4. When Emily began focusing on the Canadian landscape, her style began to change.
How does this paintings look different from the ones you saw earlier with the totem poles?
Odds and Ends, 1939

5. In these landscapes, Emily was using oil paints—often just sketching with them on paper. The medium inexpensive, easy to transport, and it also let her give her paintings a different feel.
How is the mood in these paintings different from the ones you saw earlier? What gives you that sense?
Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky, 1935 (left) Strait of Juan de Fuca, 1936 (right)

6. Kitwancool, 1928 Above the Gravel Pit, 1937
Emily’s use of the line also changed during this time period.
What different do you notice between the lines in the earlier work on the left and the later landscape work on the right?
Does one of these paintings give you more of a sense of movement than the other? Why is that?
Kitwancool, Above the Gravel Pit, 1937

7. What does a line look like?
There are lots of ways to make a line (straight, dashed, dotted, curvy, scribbled, etc.).
See how many different kinds of lines you can make in your notebooks.
Does anyone want to come up and make one of their different lines on the board? <Discuss the different lines.>
Lines can show lots of things. They can show the edges of things, like when you draw a box or a face. They can show texture. They can show movement. We use lines to show when time has passed or to draw out directions on a map.

8. Blue Sky, 1936 How does Emily use lines in this painting?
Do you think it is windy in this painting? Why or why not?
Blue Sky, 1936

9. Emily painted this image of herself when she was 67 years old
Emily painted this image of herself when she was 67 years old. Does it remind you of her other paintings at all? How so?
Additional Comment: show books
Emily Carr was also a famous author. There are books in your school library on Emily Carr. One she wrote about her childhood, called “The Book of Small.”
Show illustration In the Emily Carr and her dogs and pages # for funny commentary.
Self-Portrait, 1939

10. Sunshine and Tumult, 1939 Sunshine and Tumult, 1939
Now we’re going to try our hands at creating trees.
Sunshine and Tumult, 1939