Emily's Dream (11 page)

Emily saved the money she earned from teaching art, storing it in a pair of old shoes tied from a rafter in the cow loft studio. When she had enough saved she went to England to study further. She also spent time in France studying art and learning a new style of painting that used color in a less realistic, more emotional way. On her
return to Canada, she taught art in Victoria and Vancouver and saved money to travel up the British Columbia coast, visiting and painting First Nations villages and totem poles, as well as the surrounding forest. Eventually she focused her painting on the trees themselves, developing a unique style that captures the living spirit of the wild West Coast forests.

Being a female artist at a time when women were expected to be wives and mothers and nothing more, and painting in a new style that many people did not appreciate often made life difficult for Emily. Although her paintings were exhibited in well-known art galleries, and many important people praised Emily's work, Emily never felt totally accepted and understood. Yet, even in the face of disappointment and discouragement, she continued to stay true to her dream. Today, Emily Carr is one of Canada's best loved and best known artists.

When
Jacqueline Pearce
was a child, her grandmother lived right around the corner from Emily Carr's house. Jacqueline used to wish that she had a pair of magic glasses that would show her what Victoria was like when Emily Carr was young. Now she has created a pair of books that provide child readers with more than a glimpse. Jacqueline is the author of several other books, including
Discovering Emily
and
The Reunion
. She lives in Burnaby, British Columbia.