Celebrate Emily Carr’s 150th birthday with exhibit, book launch, open houses

Victoria is marking the 150th birthday of artist Emily Carr with three days of celebrations, including an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the launch of a new manuscript and a couple of open houses where visitors can see her work and where she lived.

Carr was born in Victoria on Dec. 13, 1871.

In honour of the 150th anniversary, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is hosting a tour and open house to delve into the artist’s legacy and showcase 13 Carr works in its collection, including Odds and Ends, Big Eagle at Skidegate and Above the Gravel Pit.

The event kicks off Thursday,

Dec. 9, with a facilitated tour of Emily Carr: Seeing and Being Seen, an exhibit that looks at how Carr saw the land and sites she painted on Vancouver Island and elsewhere in B.C.

On Dec. 11-12, the gallery is set to host public open houses in celebration of Carr’s birthday. While at the gallery, visitors can explore current exhibitions and discover how she is seen by both artists and historians.

Emily Carr: Seeing and Being Seen will run through July 2022 in the gallery’s Graham Gallery.

Admission to both events is by donation. The tour runs 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 9, with pre-registration required. The open houses run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 11 and noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss St. For more information, and to register, go to aggv.ca.

The house Carr grew up in, a provincial and national historic site on Government Street, is hosting three days of events to celebrate the artist’s birth, including an afternoon of poetry, a book launch and open house, Dec. 11 to 13.

The celebration starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, with an award ceremony for the City of Victoria’s Emily Carr 150 Poetry Contest. The winning poems will be on display at Carr House during the event.

After the ceremony, City of Victoria Poet Laureate John Barton and Youth Poet Laureate James Summer will deliver poetry readings.

On Sunday, Dec. 12, Carr House will host the official release of Unvarnished: Autobiographical Sketches by Emily Carr, which features some of the last unpublished and personal writings of the artist.

Royal B.C. Museum curator emerita Kathryn Bridge, who edited the manuscript, and India Young, curator of art and images at the museum, will be on hand to offer insights on the new publication. Copies of the book will also be available for purchase and signing after the book launch.

On Monday, the 150th anniversary of Carr’s birth, Carr House will host an open house.

Participants can enjoy a birthday treat and write Carr a birthday card.

Driftwood sculptures by local artist Tanya Bub will be on display in the garden.

Masks and proof of vaccination are required for all events, which are free to attend.

Events start at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and the open house runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at Carr House, 207 Government St. For more information, go to carrhouse.ca.