Geneviève Castrée facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geneviève Castrée
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Castrée performing in 2006
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| Born |
Geneviève Gosselin
April 9, 1981 Loretteville, Quebec, Canada
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| Died | July 9, 2016 (aged 35) Anacortes, Washington, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) |
Phil Elverum
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 1 |
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| Years active | 2000–2016 |
| Labels | L'Oie de Cravan |
| Associated acts | Phil Elverum |
Geneviève Elverum (born Gosselin; April 9, 1981 – July 9, 2016), also known as Geneviève Castrée, was a talented artist from Quebec, Canada. She was known for her work as a cartoonist, illustrator, and musician. Geneviève loved comics from a young age and started creating her own stories early on.
Her first book, Lait Frappé, was published in 2000. She released several more books, with Pamplemoussi (2004) being a big step in her artistic journey. Her 2012 book Susceptible brought her international fame. She also released eight music albums under the names Woelv and Ô Paon.
In 2003, Geneviève met musician Phil Elverum, and they married the next year. They had a child in 2015. Sadly, she was diagnosed with a serious illness that same year and passed away in 2016. Phil Elverum later created music inspired by her life and their time together.
Contents
Early Life and Creative Beginnings
Geneviève Gosselin was born in Loretteville, Quebec, in 1981. She grew up reading Tintin comics, which she loved so much that she won a Tintin competition. From a young age, she drew comics, inspired by artists like Hergé and Julie Doucet. Doucet especially influenced her character designs and writing style.
When Geneviève was five, her father left. At fifteen, she traveled across Canada and reconnected with him. Even though their relationship was sometimes difficult, her father built her a log cabin to live in. In her teenage years, Geneviève started her cartooning career without formal training. She published small comics and began using the name Geneviève Castrée.
Her Creative Journey
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Art and Storytelling
In 2000, a publisher in Montréal called L'Oie de Cravan released Geneviève's first book, Lait Frappé. She followed this with Die Fabrik (2000) and Roulatheque Roulatheque Nicolore (2001). Her book Pamplemoussi in 2004 was a major turning point. With this book, she started to combine her music and visual art more closely.
In 2012, Castrée released Susceptible, a graphic novel about her childhood in Quebec. It tells the story through a character named Goglu, which was Geneviève's childhood nickname. The book was highly praised and helped her become known around the world. It also helped her feel lighter about her memories. In 2015, she published Maman Sauvage, a book of French poems about her feelings as a mother.
After she passed away, her final book, A Bubble, was published in 2017. She had left instructions for its creation, and she worked on it until her very last days. The book was a gift for her daughter, but Geneviève also wanted it to be published. It explores their relationship and her experience with illness, which she compared to living in a bubble. The book uses mostly images with very little text.
Another book of poems, Maman Apprivoisée, came out in 2018. It has 44 poems in both French and English. These poems talk about her feelings after giving birth in 2015 and then being diagnosed with a serious illness that same year.
Music Career
Geneviève was a self-taught musician. Her first music release was an album that came with her 2004 book Pamplemoussi. It was recorded with help from Thomas Shields and Matt Skillings. This album had a "lo-fi" sound, meaning it sounded a bit raw and homemade. Geneviève sang in French over simple, childlike instruments like a keyboard.
She released music under the name Woelv. Her 2006 EP Gris expanded on her lo-fi style. Her last release as Woelv was Tout Seul Dans La Forêt En Plein Jour, Avez-vous Peur? (meaning Alone in the Forest in the Middle of the Day, Are You Scared?) in 2007.
In 2009, Geneviève started her own music label and began releasing music as Ô Paon. She released the album Courses in 2010 and Fleuve in 2015. Geneviève also appeared on recordings by other musicians like Mount Eerie. She released a total of eight albums under her two music names.
Themes and Artistic Style
Geneviève Castrée's stories and art often explored topics like loyalty, her relationships with her parents, and childhood experiences. Her work was often very personal. She used unique ways of drawing comics, often avoiding typical comic panels. She also used empty spaces on the page and bright colors.
Her characters were often very expressive, sometimes looking "fragile" or "broken," with "wiggly" arms and "bending" legs. Her art showed both sadness and joy in a balanced way.
Personal Life
Geneviève Castrée was married to musician Phil Elverum, who is known for his music projects the Microphones and Mount Eerie. They met in 2003 and married in 2004. They decided to live in Anacortes, Washington, where Phil grew up. Geneviève was also good friends with musician Lori Goldston. French was her main language.
In 2015, shortly after she and Phil had their only child, Geneviève was diagnosed with a serious illness. In June 2016, friends set up an online fundraiser to help with their family's expenses. She passed away on July 9, 2016, at the age of 35. Her husband shared that she died at home, surrounded by her family, finding peace.
Legacy and Influence
After Geneviève's passing, her husband, Phil Elverum, released three albums under his Mount Eerie project: A Crow Looked at Me, Now Only, and Lost Wisdom pt. 2. These albums tell the story of Geneviève's life and express his grief after her early death. Other artists were also inspired by her. Musician Katherine Paul's album Mother of My Children was inspired by Geneviève, whom Paul called her "mentor." Many artists paid tribute to her, showing how much she was admired.
Exhibitions
- Orange Sanguine (drawings and dolls), The Crying Room, Vancouver, BC, 2002.
- Deviate (with Allison Cole), Junc Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2006.
- Masques, Book Gallery Popotame, Tokyo, 2007.
- Geneviève Castrée : Drawings, Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York, NY, 2008.
- Pia-Anna Borneo Gallery, Lucerne, Switzerland, March 28 - April 5, 2009.
- Débarrassée/Décomplexée, Presspop Gallery/Book Gallery Popotame, Tokyo, 2010.
- Hivers, Book Gallery Popotame, Tokyo, 2013.
- Susceptible , Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, Seattle, WA, 2013.
- Drawn & Quarterly 25th (group show), Galerie Martel, Paris, 2016.
- A Bubble, Editions de la Pasteque, Montreal, QC, 2018.
- This is Serious (group show), Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, 2019.
Discography
Woelv Releases
- Pamplemoussi (as Geneviève Castrée), LP and book, L'Oie de Cravan, 2004.
- Gris, CD-EP/10" record, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2006.
- Le niveau de la mer/Bête à Cheval, 7" record, K Records, 2007.
- Tout Seul Dans La Forêt En Plein Jour, Avez-vous Peur?, CD/LP and book, K Records, 2007.
Ô Paon Releases
- a)b)c)d)e), 7" record, TAUS 001 Disques Ô Paon, 2009.
- Courses, CD/LP, TAUS 003 Disques Ô Paon, 2010.
- Quatorze/Quanze Ans, 10" record, TAUS 004 Disques Ô Paon, 2013.
- Fleuve, LP, TAUS 005 Disques Ô Paon, 2015.
Collaborations and Appearances
- Welcome Nowhere by Thanksgiving, LP, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2004.
- No Flashlight by Mount Eerie, CD/LP, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2005.
- The Watery Graves of Portland and/et Geneviève with The Watery Graves of Portland, CD/LP, Marriage Records, 2007.
- Mount Eerie Pts. 6 & 7 by Mount Eerie, 10" record and book, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2007.
- Karl & Geneviève, with Karl Blau, 7" record, TAUS 002, Disques Ô Paon, 2011.
- Clear Moon by Mount Eerie, LP, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2012.
- Already Drowning by Aidan Baker, CD/LP, Gizeh Records, 2013.
- Sauna by Mount Eerie, LP, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2015.
