Overview

Geneviève Elverum (born Gosselin; April 9, 1981 – July 9, 2016), widely known by her pen name Geneviève Castrée, was a Canadian artist whose practice spanned comics and illustration, painting and music. Raised in Loretteville, Quebec, she produced intimate, hand-drawn works that blended autobiography, memory and myth. Her musical output, issued under names including Woelv and Ô PAON, ran parallel to her visual work and drew from folk, experimental and chanson traditions.

Work and artistic characteristics

Castrée’s art is characterized by delicate line work, spare color palettes and a strong focus on personal narrative. She worked in small-press formats—mini-comics, zines and self-published books—as well as exhibited drawings and paintings. Themes that recur across her output include childhood recollection, family relationships, language and the interior life of women. Her comics often read as lyrical essays where image and text are tightly interwoven.

Music and collaborative practice

Parallel to her visual career, Castrée recorded music that complemented the mood of her drawings: minimalist arrangements, hushed vocals and a sense of intimacy. Early recordings appeared under the name Woelv before she released music as Ô PAON. She collaborated with peers in independent art and music scenes and occasionally connected her songs to the stories she drew, treating both media as part of a single artistic voice.

Life and career

Born in Quebec, Castrée maintained a francophone sensibility while working in both French and English. Later in life she lived in Anacortes, Washington, where she raised a child with her partner, musician Phil Elverum. Her move to the Pacific Northwest brought her into contact with a close-knit community of independent musicians and artists; she exhibited and published steadily in small presses and alternative galleries.

Legacy and recognition

Castrée is remembered for the emotional clarity of her work and for bridging intimate comics and music. Her voice influenced a generation of small-press cartoonists and DIY musicians who value vulnerability and craft. After her death, her art and recordings have continued to be discussed in exhibitions, essays and musical tributes, and her books remain sought after by readers of contemporary autobiographical comics.

Notable facts

  • She published primarily in small-press and independent venues and often worked bilingually.
  • Her musical aliases included Woelv and Ô PAON, reflecting an ongoing practice across media.
  • Castrée died on July 9, 2016 in Anacortes, Washington from pancreatic cancer, at the age of 34.