Emily Carr Quotes

Powerful Emily Carr for Daily Growth

About Emily Carr

Emily Carr (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian painter and writer who is regarded as one of the most significant figures in the development of modern Canadian art. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Carr spent her early years surrounded by the vibrant landscapes and rich Native American culture that would later become central themes in her work. Carr's artistic journey began unconventionally. She attended school sporadically, instead choosing to study under local painters and immersing herself in the natural world. In 1899, Carr moved to San Francisco to further her education at the California School of Design, but she found the instruction too rigid and returned home after a year. In the early 20th century, Carr's work gained recognition when the influential British art critic Robert Harrison included her in an exhibition of "emancipated" artists. Carr spent much of the next decade exploring the West Coast and documenting Native American art and culture. This period culminated in the publication of her seminal book, "Klee Wyck," in 1941, which provided a unique insight into the indigenous communities she had come to know and admire. Carr's paintings during this time were marked by their bold use of color and expressive brushstrokes. Her most famous work, "Indian Church" (1929), is a powerful depiction of a dilapidated church among towering totem poles, symbolizing the clash between Native and European cultures. Despite her success, Carr's career faced numerous setbacks. She struggled with rejection, poverty, and health issues throughout her life. However, her resilience and unwavering commitment to her artistic vision ensured that she left an indelible mark on Canadian art and culture. Carr died in Victoria in 1945, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire and captivate audiences today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I long to get into the forest primeval, where the trees are old and gnarled, and the silence is broken only by the wind sighing among the boughs."

This quote by Emily Carr expresses a deep yearning for solitude and connection with nature. The "forest primeval" represents a pristine, untouched wilderness, where ancient trees with gnarled branches stand tall. The silence breaks only with the wind passing through the trees, indicating a peaceful, serene environment that offers respite from the hustle-bustle of everyday life. Carr's longing for this setting suggests her desire to immerse herself in nature, find tranquility, and draw inspiration from its raw beauty.

"The soul of the woods has come out in these pictures."

Emily Carr's quote suggests that her art, particularly paintings featuring woods, is not just a representation of nature but also captures its essence or spirit. It implies that she was able to tap into the emotional depth and soulfulness of the forest, translating these qualities onto canvas in a way that evokes a similar response from viewers. This quote highlights the intimate connection between Carr and her subject matter, revealing the profound impact of nature on her creative process.

"Art is a tree without roots, if it does not draw its life from nature."

This quote by Emily Carr emphasizes the importance of nature as the fundamental source of inspiration for art. She suggests that art devoid of connection to nature is like a tree without roots – lifeless and uninspiring. Essentially, Carr is arguing that for art to be vital and meaningful, it must draw sustenance from its natural surroundings, reflecting the beauty, energy, and wisdom found in nature itself.

"In the forest I found myself surrounded by spirits more powerful and awesome than any I had yet encountered."

Emily Carr's quote suggests a profound connection she felt with the natural world, specifically forests, where she experienced a sense of the supernatural or spiritual through immersion in those environments. This implies that for Carr, forests were not just physical landscapes but also realms imbued with an immense, awe-inspiring energy and presence. Her quote reflects a deep appreciation and reverence towards nature, hinting at her unique perception of the world beyond what is literally seen.

"The trees are God's great alphabet – they spell out in leaves when you understand them."

This quote suggests that the natural world, specifically trees, can serve as a spiritual language, or the "great alphabet," if one has the ability to comprehend it. Emily Carr believes that by understanding and interpreting the intricate details of nature, such as the patterns of leaves on trees, we can gain a deeper connection with the divine or higher power she refers to as 'God'. This perspective encourages an appreciation for nature's beauty, complexity, and the opportunity it presents for spiritual growth.

You must be absolutely honest and true in the depicting of a totem for meaning is attached to every line. You must be most particular about detail and proportion.

- Emily Carr

Line, About, Proportion, Attached

There is something bigger than fact: the underlying spirit, all it stands for, the mood, the vastness, the wildness.

- Emily Carr

Fact, Mood, Stands, Underlying

I think that one's art is a growth inside one. I do not think one can explain growth. It is silent and subtle. One does not keep digging up a plant to see how it grows.

- Emily Carr

Think, Explain, Grows, Digging

Trees love to toss and sway; they make such happy noises.

- Emily Carr

Love, Nature, Happy, Sway

Twenty can't be expected to tolerate sixty in all things, and sixty gets bored stiff with twenty's eternal love affairs.

- Emily Carr

Love, Sixty, Stiff, Tolerate

Oh, Spring! I want to go out and feel you and get inspiration. My old things seem dead. I want fresh contacts, more vital searching.

- Emily Carr

Old, More, Old Things, Fresh

Perfectly ordered disorder designed with a helter-skelter magnificence.

- Emily Carr

Ordered, Disorder, Perfectly, Designed

I sat staring, staring, staring - half lost, learning a new language or rather the same language in a different dialect. So still were the big woods where I sat, sound might not yet have been born.

- Emily Carr

New, Big, Still, Staring

The artist himself may not think he is religious, but if he is sincere his sincerity in itself is religion.

- Emily Carr

Think, Himself, Religious, Sincerity

You always feel when you look it straight in the eye that you could have put more into it, could have let yourself go and dug harder.

- Emily Carr

More, Always, Could, Dug

The men resent a woman getting any honour in what they consider is essentially their field. Men painters mostly despise women painters. So I have decided to stop squirming, to throw any honour in with Canada and women.

- Emily Carr

Woman, Honour, Mostly, Essentially

It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw.

- Emily Carr

Canada, Wonderful, Feel, Raw

You come into the world alone and you go out of the world alone yet it seems to me you are more alone while living than even going and coming.

- Emily Carr

Alone, Living, Going, Seems

You will have to experiment and try things out for yourself and you will not be sure of what you are doing. That's all right, you are feeling your way into the thing.

- Emily Carr

Doing, Will, Sure, Experiment

Be careful that you do not write or paint anything that is not your own, that you don't know in your own soul.

- Emily Carr

Art, Soul, Be Careful, Write

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