Emily Carr: An Introduction to Her Life and Art

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian studies at
Concordia University, and the author of Kurlek, Margaret Laurence: The
Long Journey Home, and As Though Life Mattered: Leo Kennedy’s Story.

There are many books, both biographical and critical, about this West
Coast artist whose work broke new ground both in subject matter and
style. Anne Newlands’s relatively brief text, aimed at young adults,
is certainly one of the

best.

In 64 slightly oversized pages, Newlands captures the essence of Emily
Carr’s life and achievements. The book’s format adds clarity and
effectiveness: 30 mini-essays are set, en face, with colored
reproductions of paintings and/or historic black-and-white photographs.
A short list of “selected sources” is included.

Newlands follows Carr (1871–1945) from her childhood in the pioneer
town of Victoria (then geographically and artistically isolated), to her
belated recognition by members of the Group of Seven in 1927, and
beyond. The choice of paintings and the quality of the reproductions are
both excellent. Such stunning works as Old Indian House, Northern
British Columbia, Indian War Canoe, Alert Bay, Skidegate, Kitwancool
Totems, and Big Raven show Carr’s fascination with First Nations art
and the power of her artistic vision. Highly recommended.