Synopsis
Emily Carr’s life story is told in this highly original picture book by Nicolas Debon. Written and illustrated in comic strips, the book traces Carr’s life through four of her famous paintings. The first part, named after the painting, Cedar House, represents Emily’s first sketching trip to a remote village where she discovers the richness of West Coast native life and art. Autumn in France describes Emily at work in a Paris art studio and immersing herself in the "New Art" of Chagall, Matisse, Picasso and others. In Silhouette, Carr’s work is exhibited at the National Gallery and she has a pivotal meeting with artists of the Group of Seven. Finally, in Beloved of the Sky, Emily reaches her full potential as an artist.
Nicolas Debon’s illustrations perfectly capture Carr’s determined, eccentric character and her times. The difficulties she encountered as a young woman finding a way to express herself as an artist are well documented as is her world.
Reviews
Grade 4-7-Debon has distilled four periods in the Canadian artist's life (1871-1945) into enticing vignettes that illuminate her passions, determination, health problems, relationships with fellow Group of Seven artists, and, most of all, her dramatic progression as a painter. Presented in a comic-book format reminiscent of French classics "Tintin" and "Asterix," the book draws on Carr's extensive journals to tell her story primarily in her own words and also includes a brief biographical prologue. Each chapter opens with a faithful reproduction of one of her paintings. Of the four pieces of art, only the story of Carr's Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky is fully integrated with the text, allowing readers to see the scene that inspired it through the artist's eyes. While the book lacks the specific detail found in a straight biography and perhaps has more fictionalizing of dialogue, it successfully delivers a fascinating account of Carr and her work. Engaging artwork and brisk storytelling make this a consideration for most libraries.
Sophie R. Brookover, Mount Laurel Library, NJ
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 5-9. Debon blends several genres in this small biography, in comic-book format, about the innovative Canadian artist Emily ("Millie") Carr, one of a few women painters who worked during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Each of the four chapters, headed by a small reproduction of one of her paintings, relates her story in a graphic style that evokes Tintin as well as other art styles, traditional and modern. The first chapter focuses on Carr's fascination with Native American art and spirituality. Then Debon traces the artist's painful struggle to express her unique vision, showing Carr's connection with some of the great artists of Europe at the time. He cites Carr's own writings as well as some books about her life and work, and he includes a guide to the paintings that inspired his illustrations. It's hard to appreciate the artist's work in the very small pictures, but, for the most part, the comic-book style works well, depicting Carr's feelings of alienation as well as her joy. See also Emily Carr, Jo Ellen Bogart's picture-book biography [BKL N 1 03]. Hazel Rochman
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