"I Don't Know How to Draw a Tree," is a new graphic novel by Carmen José. Published by the good folks over at Rotopol, it is as gorgeous as it is thoughtful. Soft, gentle watercolor illustrations of trees intermingle with stark and sharp line art of humans and other objects in a delicate dance with poetic text complimenting everything. José ponders life, how we connect with others, and how we represent the World in a variety of ways--with trees serving as a spectacular metaphor. As José observes in one of my favorite passages that I'll share in the formatting she uses:
our branches
our arms
our body trunks
our limbs
and our roots
our differences
our connections
we can learn
to let us be and live
in our complexities
so we can grow
in all directions and forms
It's a beautiful book visually and in its text. We can learn a lot from trees, as José thoughtfully imparts. I really enjoyed how the watercolors washed over me (no pun intended) and the words stuck in my mind.
"I Don't Know How to Draw a Tree," is a fantastic comic and I would highly recommend anyone who enjoys gorgeous art and/or insightful poetry check it out. Rotopol and the authors who publish through it always put out spectacular works and this is yet another stellar comic!
5 out of 5 Stars.
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