Carr, Emily
Item
Maker Name
Carr, Emily
Biography
During a time of economic hardship and a lull in her painting career (1913-1926) Emily Carr turned to operating a boarding house and making craft items for sale. Her first foray in this direction was rugs with Indigenous designs. She started making pottery ca 1925 at the suggestion of Kate Mather, a tenant who wintered at Carr's house on Simcoe St. in Victoria from 1924 to 1926. Mather asked Carr to make "Indian pottery" which she sold in her summer gift shop in Banff, also promoting it at sales and exhibitions across the country.
Starting in 1925, Carr exhibited her pottery in the annual Island Arts and Crafts Society exhibitions, at the same time befriending members of Victoria's emerging pottery community. In 1929 Carr served with pioneer potters Margaret Grute, Mrs Groos and Mrs Edwards on a committee responsible for the firing of a new kiln donated to Victoria potters by the former BC Lt Gov Walter Nichol on his death in 1928. Nichol believed that the new larger kiln would enable the pottery "industry" to increase production and sales to tourists. Carr became active in the formation of the Victoria Pottery Club serving as its first vice- president 1929 and on the executive 1930. On at least one occasion, Carr gave a talk to Women's Institute members about her pottery designs, her kiln and the source of her clay.
Her pottery was made from clay obtained from the cliffs above the beach near Beacon Hill Park and from construction sites. It was fired in a home-made kiln in her back yard and decorated with stylized Indigenous motifs using a paint mixed with sand.
Starting in 1925, Carr exhibited her pottery in the annual Island Arts and Crafts Society exhibitions, at the same time befriending members of Victoria's emerging pottery community. In 1929 Carr served with pioneer potters Margaret Grute, Mrs Groos and Mrs Edwards on a committee responsible for the firing of a new kiln donated to Victoria potters by the former BC Lt Gov Walter Nichol on his death in 1928. Nichol believed that the new larger kiln would enable the pottery "industry" to increase production and sales to tourists. Carr became active in the formation of the Victoria Pottery Club serving as its first vice- president 1929 and on the executive 1930. On at least one occasion, Carr gave a talk to Women's Institute members about her pottery designs, her kiln and the source of her clay.
Her pottery was made from clay obtained from the cliffs above the beach near Beacon Hill Park and from construction sites. It was fired in a home-made kiln in her back yard and decorated with stylized Indigenous motifs using a paint mixed with sand.
First name
Emily
Last name
Carr
Career dates (start and end)
1925
1932
Date of Birth
1871
Date of Death
1945
Place of Birth
Victoria, British Columbia
Place of Death
Studio location
Formal Education
Major Exhibitions
Island Arts and Crafts Society exhibitions 1925, 1926, 1928, Victoria, BC
Willows Fair, Victoria, BC, 1930
An Exhibition of Canadian West Coast Art, Native and Modern, National Gallery of Canada,, Ottawa, 1927
Second Exhibition of Architecture and Allied Arts, Art Gallery of Toronto, 1929
Great West Folk Dance, Folk Song and Handicrafts Festival, Calgary. 1930
Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, 1931
Canadian Handicrafts Exhibition, Women's Art Association, Toronto, 1932
Collections
Vancouver Art Gallery
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Affiliated organizations
Links to Further Resources
Emily Carr, A Biography, by Maria Tippett
studioceramicscanada.com
studioceramicscanada.com
Source
Allan Collier