BC ARTISTS: Emily Carr - "the show she never gave"

Emily Carr - "the show she never gave"

In late 1944 Emily Carr wrote A. Savell Grigsby at the Vancouver Art Gallery, expressing her interest in having another "one man show" at the gallery. The images on this page, with the exception of the colour image of the Emily Carr postcard (in the Editor's collection) were in the Grigsby exhibition records in the Gallery's Archives.

This postcard is one of a number of cards issued under the title British Columbia Artist Series. The postcards were printed in 1944 or earlier. The back of the postcard, shown on the right, is from the A.S. Grigsby exhibition folders in the Archives, and is actually a postcard from Emily Carr to Grigsby:

"Dear Mr. Grigsby, I wish you & Mrs. Grigsby a Merry Xmas & glad New Year. I have been working on some sketches that were left unfinished and am half inclined to consider another one man show IF there are any vacancies available. Mr. Harris favours the Water Colour rooms much in preference to upper gallery (?) (?) be available any time in early Spring? It only holds a few I have possibly 30 or 35 all sketches I am finishing them slowly & can't work much but am well M.E. Carr"

"Dear Mr. Grigsby, Thank you for your letter and for information that you have reserved sculpture court & water colour room for April 10. I have been again very unwell & work at a dead stop. but I hope to pull through & be ready. Dr. Stern of Montreal wrote just of his (?). ... first but I doubt I shall have it ready by your date ... my health is such I never know from day to day whether I can work or not, I do what I can & when I can. This must be the last. I am (?) the struggle & it is time I stopped. Is it not the rule that the hall's rent is paid on reservation? I seem to remember though my memory is very faulty these day I enclose the gallery yearly dues $2.00 & please let me know by return what the date is & I will forward. Thank you sincerely yours, Emily Carr."

"Dear Mr. Grigsby, Thank you for your letter returning my membership fee which I thought was due re: the watercolor room and Sculpture court It is extremely nice of the Committee through Mr. Harris to give me the use of the room from April 10 to April 29. I hope the show will not dwindle in quality I am making good headway in preparation Sincerely yours Emily Carr"

Emily Carr died one week later on March 2 1945. As little as one month earlier she had been "making good headway" on finishing sketches for the exhibition.

Exhibition start date should read April 10.

The artworks by Carr were all finished and ready to be shipped to the Vancouver Art Gallery for hanging. The gallery chose to cancel the exhibition, and start planning a much larger memorial exhibition that opened in May 1946.

HOME