Finding Hannah Maynard – A Forgotten Pioneer & a Personal Discovery

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#WarriorUpWithArt

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Happy International Women's Day 

Finding Hannah Maynard – A Forgotten Pioneer & a Personal Discovery

Introduction
Photography has the power to connect us across generations. Sometimes, it even brings unexpected discoveries—like when I recently learned about Hannah Maynard, a trailblazing photographer who ran a studio in Victoria, BC, from 1862 to the early 1900s. Despite studying professional photography at Langara College, I had never heard of her until the Royal BC Museum shared an Instagram story about her.

Her work is now inspiring me to take a deeper look at my own family history. It turns out my great-great-grandfather arrived in BC in 1862, the same year Maynard opened her studio—a strange coincidence that makes me wonder if our paths (or at least our family stories) have crossed before.

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Hannah Maynard: The Woman Who Defied Photography Norms

Hannah Maynard wasn’t just a portrait photographer—she was a creative force ahead of her time.

• She experimented with surreal techniques like multiple exposures and photomontages long before Photoshop existed.
• She took self-portraits that challenged Victorian conventions—including one of her riding a bike in the 1890s.
• She photographed Indigenous communities, though her work must be examined in the context of colonial documentation.

Maynard ran her Victoria studio for over 50 years—a remarkable achievement for a woman in the 19th century. And yet, I never learned about her in photography school.

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A Personal Connection: A Mourning Portrait in My Family Archive?

After discovering Maynard’s story, I started thinking about an old family photo of my great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-grandmother. My mother once thought it was a wedding portrait, but my great-grandmother is dressed entirely in black—which now makes me wonder if it was actually a mourning photo.

In the early 1900s, mourning photography was a common practice. Families dressed in black, posed formally, and sometimes included symbolic objects to honor lost loved ones. My great-great-grandfather kept a diary listing multiple family losses, which adds another layer of mystery. If the photo was taken in Victoria before 1915, there’s even a chance it could have been taken by Maynard’s studio or a photographer influenced by her style.

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Lost History & The Transition from Film to Digital

This discovery also makes me reflect on my time at Langara College in 1995. I was part of one of the last classes to transition from film to digital, and I remember how difficult it was to leave the darkroom behind. Two of my instructors retired shortly after our program ended, and while they passed on incredible technical skills, I now realize there were huge gaps in what we were taught.

No one mentioned Hannah Maynard—a local, groundbreaking woman photographer—and that’s a shame because I know she would have inspired me deeply.

Photography has always been about change. The switch from film to digital in the ‘90s echoes the way Maynard pushed the boundaries of photography in her time. She didn’t just take portraits—she experimented, innovated, and created images that still feel modern today.

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Are My Ancestors Helping Me Piece This Together?

It feels like my ancestors are nudging me to put the pieces together.

• 1862: Maynard opened her photography studio in Victoria. My great-great-grandfather arrived in BC the same year.
• 1915 or earlier: A mysterious family portrait may actually be a mourning photo.
• 1995: I was in one of the last Langara photography classes to use film, unaware of Maynard’s legacy.
• 2024: The Royal BC Museum’s Instagram story led me to this discovery.

This journey reminds me that history isn’t just something we read about—it’s something we carry with us, sometimes without even realizing it. Maybe my ancestors are freaking out (in a good way!), trying to guide me toward a deeper understanding of my own family’s past.

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Final Thoughts: Let’s Bring Maynard’s Story Back

Hannah Maynard deserves more recognition. She wasn’t just a photographer—she was an artist, innovator, and entrepreneur who defied expectations in a male-dominated field.

If you’re a photographer, history lover, or someone who believes in preserving women’s contributions to art, I encourage you to explore her work. Her photographs are housed at the Royal BC Museum, BC Archives, and Library and Archives Canada. Some may even be in the public domain, available for sharing.

I’m still on a journey to uncover the truth behind my family’s old photos. Maybe one day, I’ll discover a connection to Maynard’s studio. But even if I don’t, I know one thing for sure:
Her story—just like our own family histories—deserves to be remembered.

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Want to Learn More?

• Royal BC Museum: https://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
• BC Archives
• Library and Archives Canada

Emily’s Strength, Our Strength – Warrior Up with Art

 Reading about Emily Carr, I feel an overwhelming connection to her struggles. She faced immense obstacles—what happened between her and her father is shrouded in mystery, but abuse seems likely. Rejected by her mother and sisters, she was cast out, not just for her art but for refusing to conform. Marriage was the expected path, yet she chose another, one that forced her to survive on her own terms—a feat that must have felt impossible then, just as it does now.

Art wasn’t saleable in her time, just as many of us struggle to sell ours today. Oh, hers is now—commodified, celebrated—but in her lifetime, she endured rejection after rejection. And yet, she persisted.

Emily lived in the same town as my great-great-grandparents, buried in the same graveyard. My Songhees great-great-grandmother must have faced unfathomable challenges. My great-grandfather’s diary hints at the hardships he endured—but for her, an Indigenous woman in a colonial world, the struggle must have been heartbreaking. And it’s still happening. The patriarchy still rules, still tries to force us into submission. Yet we are POWERFUL. We give birth, create life, nurture life, and still, so many women face homelessness, poverty, and exile for refusing to bow to male dominance.

Emily survived. My great-great-grandmother, though she only lived to 50, raised and imprinted a strong son. Because of them, I am here. Because of them, I must fight.

We are entering a time of great uncertainty—where men like Trump, Musk, and others are openly discussing the annexation of Canada, the erasure of our autonomy. Emily lived through two world wars and the Great Depression. My mother survived the Great Depression and WWII. Now, we must draw on that same strength. We will be called eccentric, crazy, hysterical—but so was Emily. And still, she painted.

Now more than ever, we must fight back with art. We must warrior up with art. This is the battle of our lives, and we must spread the message in every way we can. Smash the patriarchy. Restore balance. Like the Iroquois Confederacy once did, like Helen Reddy sang—

I am Woman. Hear me ROAR.