Welcome to the March issue of The Emily Carr Chronicles, packed with stories and events celebrating Emily Carr’s enduring impact—from the groundbreaking "Modern Room" the 1932 exhibition that shocked Victoria’s art world, to a recent nod from the Smithsonian for That Green Ideal now on exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, a deep dive into Carr’s House of All Sorts, a guided walk of Emily's James Bay, and three more Carr-inspired experiences and updates. Explore, discover, and connect with the world of Emily Carr this month! | The Smithsonian is now paying attenttion to Emily Carr having posted not one but two articles in their February 2026 issue of the Smithsonian Magazine about the recently opened exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery: That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Idea of Nature. | Historical Emily Carr Exhibitions | Emily & Friends in the "Modern Room" | The Island Arts and Crafts Society in Victoria, formed in 1909, and joined by Emily Carr in 1911, played a pivotal role in shaping the region's cultural landscape, particularly with its groundbreaking 1932 exhibition. One of the most memorable aspects of this event was the inclusion of the "Modern Room," a space dedicated to showcasing for the first time 'modern art' in Victoria, a radical departure from the more conservative works that dominated Victoria at the time. | Current Emily Carr Exhibitions | That Green Ideal: Emily Carr | February 6 - November 8, 2026 | That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Idea of Nature,” the largest exhibition of her paintings in decades features paintings, drawings, journals and archival materials, “That Green Ideal” was named for a phrase found in the artist’s journal entry of June 30, 1931. The show is an expression of her “lifelong effort to capture not just the appearance of nature, but its perceived inner essence,” according to Richard Hill, the exhibition's curator. It was interesting to be told that only four of her 150 + paintings on display were on loan, thanks to Emily setting up the Emily Carr Trust to bequeath many of her paintings to British Columbia in the last years of her life. | Art Gallery of Greater Victoria | Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
"A View From Here"
until April 2026 | Audain Art Museum
"From Sea to Sky"
Whistler, BC
until May 2026 | Discover the Book of Small in this engaging 90 minite session exploring Emily's childhood stories--revealing pioneer Victoria through humour, history and a young artist's imagination. | | Wednesday, March 11 1:30 to 3 pm Cook Street Actvity Centre limited to ten participants | Wednesday, March 25 1:30 to 3 pm on ZOOM limited to nine particpants | | Discover the Book of Small in this engaging 90 minite session exploring Emily's childhood stories--revealing pioneer Victoria through humour, history and a young artist's imagination. | | Wednesday, April 8 1:30 to 3 pm Cook Street Actvity Centre limited to ten participants | Wednesday, April 22 1:30 to 3 pm on ZOOM limited to nine particpants | | prefer to register by e-transfer paymemt? | Emily Carr Chronicles Walking Tours | Join a 2-hour guided tour through James Bay, where Emily Carr lived, painted, wrote abd died. We'll visit 12 historic sites from the place where she was born to the place where she died and 10 more places important to her life story in between. | | The next Emily Carr Chronicles Guided Walking Tour is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 (to cooincide with the House of All Sorts presentation at Cook Activity Centre on Wednesday, March 11 starting at 1:30 pm) | If you're in Victoria and would like to attend the House of All Sorts presentation on Wednesday, March 11 on Cook Street Activity Centre AND the Emily Carr Chronicles Guided Walking Tour during which we will visit the House of All Sorts on Saturday, March 14 at a special rate of $30? | The next Emily Carr Chronicles Guided Walking Tour after March 14 is Saturday, May 16 unless you attend the Tour at the Jane's Walk James Bay Festival from May 1 - 3, 2026. | Join us as we celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, by discovering the lives, challenges, and outstanding accomplishments of eight remarkable women whose imagination and determination helped shape early Victoria. Two 90 minute guided tours from 10 to 11:30 am, repeated from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Walk leaders: Yvonne Van Ruskenveld from the Old Cemeteries Society and Marilyn Jones from Emily Carr Chronicles.Tickets available at the gate at 1495 Fairfield Road. $5 pp for non-members of the Society. | Emily Carr at Ross Bay Cemetery - Part 1 | Emily Carr’s grave is one of the most visited at RBC. Every year, a team of Old Cemeteries Society guides visits the graves of many people Emily knew. Emily herself (a.k.a. Molly Raher Newman) will delight us with readings about these people from Emily’s writings. A second, different Emily Carr tour is scheduled later this year. Tickets $3 / pp avalable ta the gate at 1495 Fairfield Road. | Join your neighbours in James Bay for the second annual Jane’s Walk James Bay, May 1–3, 2026. This free, family-friendly, citizen-led week is celebtrated in cities around the world the first weekend of May. See: janeswalk.ort/cities Come explore the unique character of James Bay through walking tours, presentations, and special events inspired by urbanologist, Jane Jacobs. | Suggestions? Corrections? Questions? | | | | |
