Artist Info
Emily Sartain
Emily Sartain was a watercolour painter noted for creating floral portraits and studies of Canadian wildflowers with stand-out delicacy and accuracy. Sartain began painting at six years of age and was later trained in embroidery and needlework, excelling in all three areas. She worked in a millinery shop where she supervised 26 women while still in her twenties. After suffering a nervous breakdown, Sartain left the shop and upon her recovery returned to painting as an occupation.
In 1931 Sartain decided to become a professional artist specializing in flower portraits and fantasy landscapes. Sartain’s work was purchased by Royalty and prominent high society figures beginning with the 1932 acquisition of her fourth painting “Summer Flowers” by Her Majesty Queen Mary. The Royal Horticultural society honoured her for her work to capture images of even the rarest of flowers while on assignment for them. In 1939 Sartain visited her sister in Vancouver and was forced to stay in Canada due to the outbreak of World War II before ultimately deciding to become a Canadian citizen. She returned to England in 1951 to complete a pre-war commission and found her art to be in such high demand that she remained there until returning to live in Victoria in 1956.
Due to her interest in wildflowers and nature conservation, The Royal British Columbia Museum asked Sartain to assist in preserving the Thetis Park Nature Sanctuary, giving her the role of membership chairperson in which she saw incredible success. As part of ongoing projects related to Canada’s Centennial in 1967, Sartain’s talents were tapped by Hallmark Canada to paint the official flowers for each province for use on commemorative pieces. Sartain dedicated her activities and art to preserving Canadian wildflowers for generations to come. She completed some four thousand watercolour paintings throughout her lifetime. Her work is collected and shown internationally.
