Nationality is a concept which is subjective; it means different things to different people. It can be altered in a person's mind through experience. Emily Carr's Thunderbird (fig. 1) is an example of how people's perception of nation (whether by people outside of that nation, or people within it) can be shaped by a few influential individuals. Whether intentionally political or not, an artist's view of their country is often directly shown in the way they paint it. Similarly, a non-artist's view of their country can be largely affected by they way they see it depicted by great artists of their time. Even years after an artist's career or life is over, their paintings can still have direct influence on how people interpret nationality. Paintings
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The painting focuses on a rendition of the top two figures of a totem pole. The second highest is an open mouthed face, and the very top of the pole is a “thunderbird,” a mythical creature often representing strength and power in Native American beliefs (Gadacz). Carr travelled across British Columbia “making drawings and watercolours, which became the basis for oil paintings... in dramatic and powerful sculptural style full of dark and brooding energy” (Stokstad 545). While this description is about another of Carr's works, Big Raven (fig. 2), it applies to most of her renditions of the Northwestern Canadian landscape, and certainly fits with Thunderbird's dark greys, greens, and browns. Thunderbird is an image dominated by clear defining lines, and a distinct, familiar colour palette. Carr's style evolved largely after she came into contact with the Group of Seven. Before this point, she had painted in a more impressionist style, leaving this behind for a more expressionist and modernist approach after meeting Lawren Harris in 1927 (Tippett 30, 31). This approach, utilizing large sweeping blocks of colour, is what most Canadians are familiar with today in association with Carr. It is a style that is reminiscent of Harris' work, and can be seen in the likes of Beaver Pond (fig. 3) or Maligne Lake (fig.
The painting focuses on a rendition of the top two figures of a totem pole. The second highest is an open mouthed face, and the very top of the pole is a “thunderbird,” a mythical creature often representing strength and power in Native American beliefs (Gadacz). Carr travelled across British Columbia “making drawings and watercolours, which became the basis for oil paintings... in dramatic and powerful sculptural style full of dark and brooding energy” (Stokstad 545). While this description is about another of Carr's works, Big Raven (fig. 2), it applies to most of her renditions of the Northwestern Canadian landscape, and certainly fits with Thunderbird's dark greys, greens, and browns. Thunderbird is an image dominated by clear defining lines, and a distinct, familiar colour palette. Carr's style evolved largely after she came into contact with the Group of Seven. Before this point, she had painted in a more impressionist style, leaving this behind for a more expressionist and modernist approach after meeting Lawren Harris in 1927 (Tippett 30, 31). This approach, utilizing large sweeping blocks of colour, is what most Canadians are familiar with today in association with Carr. It is a style that is reminiscent of Harris' work, and can be seen in the likes of Beaver Pond (fig. 3) or Maligne Lake (fig.