A Victoria Curiosity

Unveiled October 13, 2010

Emily Carr - a Victoria born, Canadian icon of the art world. A massive amount of information about artist and writer Emily Carr can be found on the internet, in libraries, museums and art galleries. In the confines of this small blog, I really cannot do this justice. A bit of my knowledge about Emily Carr is that she would not likely be found on a busy city street corner but out with her cherished Indigenous people, in the old growth forests or inspiring mountains with her Javanese monkey ‘Woo’, her dog ‘Billie’ and her paintbrushes. 

Frequently going to and coming from my pool exercises I take the opportunity to pass by ‘Miss Em’s’ (my name for her) bronze statue on the corner of Government St. and Belleville St. here  in Victoria. I greet her with a brief hello and pat her on the arm. On my return trip from the pool, I often will sit for a moment to watch and listen to comments from passersby. I am curious about what general knowledge is. There are those who have never heard of her. Some have been to Emily Carr University. Some have just a passing interest on their vacation. And then there are the little ones who really just want to pet ‘Billie’ and would like to climb the statue to pet ‘Woo’. To me, this statue, unveiled  October 13, 2010, creates an aura of calm on this busy corner by the Empress Hotel.

The day I took this photo in the bright sunshine, I had tried to capture the bouquet of flowers, rather unsuccessfully, someone had set in the crook of her arm. One more bit of very lovely curiosity. I wonder if she is given flowers often? 

“The spirit must be felt so intensely that it has power to call 

others in passing, for it must pass, not stop in pictures…”

~ Emily Carr, December 13, 1871 - March 2, 194