The artist and musician Geneviève Castrée’s last work—an expression of love, meant to last longer than words
Drawn near the end of her life, surrounded by the nature and calm of Anacortes, Washington, Geneviève Castrée drew one final gift for her two-year-old daughter, the stunning board book A Bubble. Leaving behind a last note for a young child is an incomprehensible task; Castrée responds with grace and subtlety. Using precise, exquisite drawings of herself and her daughter, Castrée depicts changes in their daily routines as a greater story unfolds. Mother and daughter float from page to page, encased in a bubble that protects them from the outside world. A contemplation of love and loss, A Bubble is a lasting declaration, a final memory, a comfort for others experiencing grief, and a beautiful archive of one of the world’s most talented cartoonist’s final artistic achievements.
Known for her hauntingly beautiful music (under the names Ô PAON and Woelv), engrossingly detailed album illustrations, and delicate, subtle comics, Castrée’s previous graphic novel, Susceptible, shows her rare ability to handle difficult personal material with intimacy and honesty. A Bubble acts as an extension of her life story and the final chapter of a beautifully full existence. Castrée passed away in 2016 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Genevieve Castree's profile page

Geneviève Castrée (1981-2016) was born in Québec. Swept away by comics, she wanted to be a cartoonist since the age of nine. Castrée felt the urge to publish her mini-comics early, and appeared in the Montréal underground scene while she was still a teenager. In addition to her books, Castrée had a number of exhibitions in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan. She spent her adult life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and daughter, where she drew, made small sculptures out of porcelain, and played music under the name Ô PAON.

Appeared on Best of 2018 lists from Pitchfork, Quill & Quire, and 100 Scope Notes !

Before GeneviTHve Castree passed away, she wrote this heart-wrenching story for her daughter. . . The most heartbreaking book of 2018." - 100 Scope Notes

"[A] heartbreaking last work." - Pitchfork

"[ A Bubble ] is beautiful. . . The art Castree made is testimony: to the joys of growing older, and to the price." - The Paris Review
"This board book - exploring the poignant relationship between a dying mother and her toddler-aged child - has to be one of the most heartbreaking works we have ever read." - Quill & Quire

"A masterfully understated evocation of filial love and impending loss, its title an uncannily apt dual metaphor for a family's self-created safe space and a mother's fragile condition." - Montreal Gazette

"Castree's book is a work of unbelievable dedication and care. . . A truly magnificent work of art." - Women's Review of Books
"Castree's delicate, detailed artwork, in warm, rich colors, reveals charming details of day-to-day life. . . Though the subject matter is tough, this thoughtfully written book, which ends on a hopeful note despite Castree's death in 2016, might be just right to share with little ones struggling to come to terms with a parent's infirmity." - Booklist
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