There are few artists whose work feels inseparable from the land itself. Emily Carr is one of them. Her forests feel dense and alive, her coastlines expansive yet intimate, and her paintings continue to shape how we understand British Columbia’s natural identity. With Emily Carr: Navigating an Impenetrable Landscape, the Vancouver Art Gallery invites visitors to step into Carr’s vision of the province, not simply as viewers, but as participants in a deeply sensory encounter with nature.
This exhibition does not rush the experience. It asks visitors to slow down, to linger, and to notice how Carr’s depictions of forests and coastal landscapes create a sense of closeness and distance all at once. It is an exhibition that rewards presence, drawing people inward through colour, scale, and atmosphere.
Landscapes That Stay With You
Curated by Dr. Richard Hill, Smith Jarislowsky Senior Curator of Canadian Art at the Gallery, Emily Carr: Navigating an Impenetrable Landscape uses spatial relationships to explore Carr’s evolving connection to the land. The exhibition probes how Carr thought about British Columbia’s forests and shorelines, not as scenery, but as living, complex environments.
Immersed in these works, visitors often experience something quietly profound: a personal reconnection to the landscapes that shape daily life in this province. For many, Carr’s paintings stir memory, emotion, and a sense of grounding. They remind us that nature is not distant or abstract, but something we carry with us.
L-R: Siriah Rao, Eva Respini, Co-CEO’s of Vancouver Art Gallery
The Power Of Slowing Down
The Gallery experience is intentionally designed to encourage mindfulness and reflection. A printed guide accompanying the exhibition invites visitors to practice slow looking, offering gentle prompts that encourage emotional awareness and self-reflection. How does this image make you feel? What does it remind you of? Where does your attention settle?
Research increasingly supports what many museumgoers intuitively feel. Spending time in galleries can reduce stress and cortisol levels, while close engagement with art is linked to improved wellbeing, reduced loneliness, and greater life satisfaction. In this context, Carr’s landscapes become more than historical works; they become spaces for restoration.
When Art Becomes A Prescription
Building on this natural alignment between art and wellbeing, the Gallery has launched a groundbreaking partnership with the BC Parks Foundation and its PaRx initiative. Announced on World Health Day, this collaboration allows healthcare professionals to prescribe a visit to the exhibition as part of a patient’s mental health and psychological wellbeing plan.
PaRx has already demonstrated national impact, with more than 17,000 healthcare providers issuing over one million nature prescriptions across Canada. This new collaboration extends that philosophy indoors, creating an immersive art-and-nature experience within an urban environment. It is the first initiative of its kind in Canada to formally connect social prescribing with a major cultural institution.
Removing Barriers, Creating Connection
During the pilot year, prescribed visitors and an optional guest receive complimentary admission to the Gallery. The intention is simple but powerful: remove financial barriers while encouraging shared experiences that foster social connection. Visitors may return multiple times throughout the program by retaining their PaRx prescription, reinforcing that wellbeing is ongoing rather than transactional.
The Gallery anticipates approximately 4,000 individuals will benefit during the first year of the initiative. Each visit becomes an opportunity not only to engage with art, but to reduce stress, ease anxiety, and counter social isolation, all of which are recognized public health concerns.
Designed With Care And Intention
The experience has been shaped collaboratively by Sirish Rao, the Gallery’s Interim Co-CEO, and Paula Toledo, the Gallery’s Lead Wellbeing Consultant. Together, they have created a model that integrates mindfulness, reflection, and a deeper sense of place.
Visitors are encouraged to carry the experience beyond the Gallery walls, stepping outside into local parks or becoming involved in protecting the natural environments that inspired Carr’s work. In this way, the exhibition becomes a starting point rather than a destination.
That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Idea of Nature Opening Reception at the Vancouver Art Gallery, Thursday February 5th, 2026
Extending Emily Carr’s Legacy
Complementing the exhibition, the Gallery has introduced Colouring Carr, a colouring book featuring nature-inspired works from Carr’s paintings and drawings in the permanent collection. Suitable for all ages, the book invites quiet focus and creative engagement through the meditative act of colouring, offering another accessible pathway to connection and calm. Colouring Carr is available for pre-order through the Gallery Store.
A Gallery Looking Forward
Founded in 1931 on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations, the Vancouver Art Gallery continues to evolve beyond traditional exhibition models. As Western Canada’s largest public art museum, it remains committed to inclusivity, accessibility, and innovation.
By placing Emily Carr’s work at the centre of a pioneering health-focused initiative, the Gallery demonstrates how historical art can meet contemporary needs. This collaboration affirms that art is not only something to be viewed, but something that actively supports how we live, feel, and care for ourselves and one another.
For more information, visit vanartgallery.bc.ca/art-of-wellbeing.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Communications & Marketing Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at [email protected].
Latest entries
FoF ☆ Arts & CultureFebruary 10, 2026Entering Emily Carr’s World through Prescription with PaRx Initiative
FoF ☆ Arts & CultureJanuary 26, 2026Natalie Myles Art Consultancy: A New Chapter for Vancouver’s Art and Design Community
FoF ☆ Arts & CultureJanuary 12, 2026Paradisum Brings an Otherworldly Vision of Movement, Myth, and Resilience to Vancouver
FoF ☆ Beauty & Self-CareJanuary 12, 2026Science-Backed Skincare: Where Beauty, Health, and Innovation Converge
