Poster illustration for a Children’s Literature course. I used a local setting—in this case, Hastings and Main and all the symbolism that brings—and featured two Hansel and Gretel-esque sibling silhouettes looking westward at apocalyptic destruction. The buildings are anthropomorphic (the Carnegie Center is either screaming or praying) and the ruins hide evil red-eyed faces. Are they walking towards a future or turning back to look at a ruined past?

For me, Young Adult literature was Nancy Drew and Judy Bloom which meant mysteries and maturation were the most terrifying ordeals for kids coming of age in my era. Nowadays, adolescent reading lists are ruled by dystopian serial novels like The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Divergent. I wonder if kids today regret being brought into an uncertain-futured world of omnipresent technology, climate turmoil, and color-coded threat level terrorism. Even Harry Potter was scarred as an infant and forced into the magical elite’s battle between good and evil before he was able to speak.

What’s the old refrain? “I didn’t ask to be born!” I guess no one does.

This was also my 2015 Carded! Submission. The statement on the back is “Life begins on the other side of despair,” which is Sarte quote and my conclusion whenever I think about income inequality and real estate in Vancouver. A Grimm fairy tale, indeed.

Acrylic and Gouache on paper, 15″ x 20″
Located at: Private Collection (SOLD)