I haven’t read Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr yet, but as I research her life and work, I’m learning just how fascinating and resilient she was. Emily Carr was more than just a painter—she was a writer, a traveler, and a woman who defied expectations at a time when female artists were often overlooked.
Published posthumously in 1946, Growing Pains tells the story of Carr’s life from her childhood in Victoria, BC, to her struggles as an artist and her deep connection with the Indigenous cultures of the West Coast. She traveled extensively, studying art in San Francisco, England, and France, each experience shaping her unique style. Her love for nature and her appreciation of Indigenous art set her apart from many of her contemporaries.
As I research more about Carr, I’ve come across some of her quotes that really resonate with me:
"There is something bigger than fact: the underlying spirit, all it stands for, the mood, the vastness, the wildness."
"It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she’s something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that you are part of."
"Art is art, nature is nature, you cannot improve upon it... Pictures should be inspired by nature, but made in the soul of the artist; it is the soul of the individual that counts."
These words reveal not just her artistic philosophy but her deep reverence for the land and the Indigenous cultures she painted. Her work was ahead of its time, and it wasn’t until later in life that she gained recognition for her contributions to Canadian art.
I’m looking forward to reading Growing Pains and exploring more of Carr’s writing. Have you read it? What do you think of her story and perspective?
