Adrift on a Painted Sea by Tim Bird with paintings by Sue Bird. Avery Hill, 2024. 9781910395820.
Tim Bird's mother, Sue, painted throughout her life, though she took a break when she was at university. She started painting again in her spare time after Tim and his sister were born, though, and enjoyed taking classes to expand her skills. (When she was little, she wanted to be a marine biologist, which explains why she painted so many pictures of the sea.)
This is the story of Sue, and of Tim remembering her after she has passed away because of cancer. Bird includes memories of her earlier in life, and later when she was sick and in the hospital -- and they are the sort of memories I've had of loved ones just after they've died, so it made me feel as if I knew her. She surrounded her family with art. She was very well-loved. And she left behind a small mystery.
Tim Bird's comics are amazing, but even better is the way he brings his mom's paintings (as well as a few other non-comics images) into this graphic novel so they work as part of the narrative.
Worth noting: This book has a perfect ending.
