A biography of Canadian artist and author Emily Carr, best known for her depictions of Indigenous peoples and cultures of the Pacific Northwest, written by a friend and fellow-artist.

A new edition of Emily Carr’s final writings, This and That is a collection of autobiographical stories that gives fans of her work insight into the artist’s childhood, education, and development as a painter and writer. Written in the last two years of Emily Carr’s life, the stories collected in This and That (which Carr wrote under the working title “Hundreds and Thousands”) were buried in the BC Archives for decades after their author’s death, not published in book form until 2007. This revised edition includes five more stories and an updated introduction, and is illustrated with some of Carr’s own artwork. Centred on the Carr home on Government Street, the collection includes vivid snapshots of family life, told from the frustrating but often comical position of being the youngest of four strong-minded daughters. We meet beloved family pets, a plant-loving father with a fearsome temper, a hated aunt, siblings, neighbours, shopkeepers, and local personalities. In these pages Carr traces her beginnings as a writer, her time at art school in San Francisco, visits to places like Nootka and Skidegate, and the early reaction to the change in both her painting style and subject matter these trips brought about. Carr’s stories conjure the world of folk tales with a generous dash of Nancy Mitford. Taken together these anecdotes comprise a slant-wise autobiography of an artist ahead of her time in Victoria at the turn of the twentieth century.

A story-poem recreates the art studio in which Emily Carr gives art lessons to children.

The Book of Small by Emily Carr is a captivating memoir that takes readers on a journey through the author's childhood and her deep connection with the natural world. Carr's vivid descriptions and evocative storytelling transport us to the rugged landscapes of British Columbia, where she finds solace and inspiration in the wilderness. The Book of Small is not only a personal account of Carr's experiences but also a reflection on the power of art and nature to shape our lives. With its lyrical prose and intimate revelations, Carr's memoir invites readers to discover the beauty and wonder that exist within and around us.

Emily Carr (1871--1945) is one of Canada's most beloved artists. An independent woman and a Westerner who gained prominence at a time when female painters were not recognized internationally, her life and work reflect a profound commitment to the land she knew and loved. Carr's sensitive evocations reveal an artist grappling with spiritual questions inspired by the Canadian sea, land, and people. Although more than half a century has passed since her death, any artist who engages with the West Coast must contend with her legacy. Her paintings continue to inspire generations of artists. Along with the Group of Seven, Carr became a leading figure in Canadian modern art in the early twentieth century. Emily Carr: Life & Work traces the artist's trajectory from her life in Victoria, where she struggled to receive acceptance, to her status as one of Canada's most influential painters. With insight and intelligence, author Lisa Baldissera explores how although during Carr's life she endured hardship, personal isolation, and rejection, she persevered to create an iconic vision for the nation. This book explores how Carr travelled extensively, learning from European, American, and Indigenous forms and receiving formal training at art academies as well as from private tutors. In doing so, she continued to grow in artistic power as a result of her own intense observation and of her vigorous experimentation with a variety of methods and media, reflecting the fusion of wide-ranging influences. Baldissera reveals why Carr's art remains relevant today and its legacy interests many contemporary West Coast artists.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Klee Wyck" by Emily Carr. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Grade level: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, e, i, s.

Although Emily Carr is now considered a Canadian legend, the most enduring image is that of her pushing a beat-up old pram into downtown Victoria, loaded with dogs, cats, birds—and a monkey. Woo, a Javanese macaque whom Carr adopted in 1923, has become inextricably linked with Carr in the popular imagination. But more than that, in her short lifetime Woo became equally connected to Carr’s life and art. Born to a strictly religious family, Carr was never able to reconcile her wild and passionate nature with the stifling mores of the well-to-do Victorian society in which she was raised. Over the years, she increasingly turned to the company of animals to find the love and trust missing from her human relationships. Across the world in an Indonesian jungle lagoon, Woo (like Carr) was parted from her mother at a young age. The tiny ape with a “greeny-brown” pelt and penetrating golden eyes was then shipped across the world. When Carr spotted Woo in a pet store, she recognized a kindred spirit and took her home. Woo was many things to Carr—a surrogate daughter, a reflection of herself, a piece of the wild inside her downtown Victoria boarding house. Welcoming the mischievous Woo into her life, Carr also welcomed a freedom that allowed a full blooming of artistic expression and gave Canada and the world great art unlike any other before or since. However, despite Carr’s clear love for Woo, her chaotic life did not always allow Carr to properly care for her. Tragically, after Carr was hospitalized due to heart failure, she arranged for Woo to be sent to the Stanley Park Zoo. Bereft of Carr, Woo died alone in her cage only a year later. Hayter-Menzies approaches his subject from a contemporary perspective on bringing wild animals into captivity while remaining empathetic to the unique relationship between artist and monkey.

Emily Carr’s journals from 1927 to 1941 portray the happy, productive period when she was able to resume painting after dismal years of raising dogs and renting out rooms to pay the bills. These revealing entries convey her passionate connection with nature, her struggle to find her voice as a writer, and her vision and philosophy as a painter.