The Rebellious Curator

I think all artists find themselves unhappy with a lot of their work, but I was surprised to learn that Emily Carr destroyed over 200 of her paintings. She is said to have crumpled them up, stuffed them into garbage cans, or burned them because they were crowding her home or she did not like them. 

At age 56, The group of Seven took notice of her work and invited her to Toronto where the Group's encouragement inspired her to produce a new series of paintings. In 1941, nearing 70, she lived by herself in the forest and painted 15 large canvases a week. She lived in an old trailer with her pet monkey, several chipmunks, a white rat, a dog and a book of Walt Whitman's poems. Her last known painting was titled The Clearing.

She died March 2, 1945 at James Bay Inn, Victoria which to this day, claims to be haunted by her ghost. Guests at James Bay Inn report that hauntings occur to people who criticize her work.