With a compulsion to create unique visual stories, Rebecca
Chaperon's paintings and illustrations often follow the thread of a
heroine's misadventure through an enchanted landscape. Her subject
matter ranges from ethereal and dream-like to darkly humorous. Her
work can be found at www.thechaperon.ca.
Born in England in 1978, Rebecca began to call the rainy shore of
Vancouver home after graduating from Emily Carr University in 2002.
Her work has been exhibited across Canada and has been awarded a
grant from Canada Council for the Visual Arts.
KIRKUS: An alphabet of excuses, from "A is for ASTRAL PROJECTION"
to "Z is for ZOMBIE APOCALPYSE," channels the gothic spirit of
Edward Gorey. The text follows the standard abecedary model, with a
large single letter and a following line on each spread's verso.
The excuses range from at least faintly credible ("K is for
KIDNAPPED"; "M is for MONONEUCLOSIS") to such less-floatable
plaints as "E is for ENNUI" and "G is for GREMLINS." Painted
largely on the covers, jackets or endpapers of old books (with the
titles often visible), 26 neurasthenic girls cast in gloomy
lighting and clad in school-uniform blouses, skirts and high boots
poutingly model or act out each alibi amid minimally detailed
surroundings. The backgrounds can be the best parts of the
illustrations. Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls is a nice complement
to G; Out of the Night is positively brilliant for "I is for
INSOMNIA"; A Perfect Spy makes mordant comment on "O is for
OBSERVATION," in which a drowning girl is espied through a pair of
binoculars. Others are less successful: Why position an ex libris
sticker over the conked-out girl in "N is for NARCOLEPSY"? Of
doubtful utility as an idea book for young slackers but sure to
draw a few chuckles from the teen leather-and-lip-ring set--and
grown-ups who often find themselves writing or receiving parental
notes to the teacher. (Picture book. 12 & up)
Publisher's Weekly- Starred Review Canadian artist Chaperon uses a
standard "A is for" structure in her children's debut, but when
that A stands for "astral projection," it's immediately apparent
that this is a rare and special abecedary. It's impossible not to
feel the presence of Edward Gorey's Gashlycrumb Tinies in
Chaperon's portraits of somber, willowy girls, tidily dressed in
pleated skirts, Peter Pan collars, and ribbons. For G, a redheaded
girl eating her breakfast cereal is beset by tiny gremlins that tug
at her hair and arm. "Separation anxiety" keep a pair of girls from
school-kneeling cheek to cheek, they appear to be conjoined twins.
By themselves, the images can be foreboding, unsettling, or bleakly
funny; what takes them to another plane entirely is that Chaperon
paints them on the covers and interiors of weathered old books,
creating delicious thematic connections. A pink book jacket screams
Now We Are Enemies as a girl with a sword glares off-page for "R is
for Revenge"; a "dumbstruck" student's empty speech bubble is set
against a yellowed index page crammed with verbiage. Just creepy
enough to make parents insist on driving their kids to school. All
ages. (Feb.)
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