THE ROSETTE
A graphic novel about wildlife crimes
The Rosette is a graphic novel co-written by 12-year-old Devon Galpin Clarke and illustrated by Mariana Prieto about a teenager superhero who can shapeshift and her snow leopard sidekick, Himalaya, who fight wildlife crime. As The Rosette learns to control her powers she discovers she is meant to work with the animal world to save Earth from the sixth extinction.
This graphic novel was written as a way to inspire youth around wildlife conservation and climate change issues through creative and engaging storytelling and illustrations.
In the fall of 2017, while writing the script of The Rosette in Paris, Devon created a streetart project as a creative bridge from the literary world into the real world. Himalaya can make herself invisible to humans but leaves behind silver pawprints with an iconic heart shaped pinky toe on her front right paw, so Devon spray painted Himmy’s silver pawprints on the sidewalks and streets around Paris.
In the fall of 2017, while writing the script of The Rosette in Paris, Devon created a street art project as a creative bridge from the literary world into the real world. Himmy’s silver footprints emerged in several locations around Paris. Soon after, the Mark of the Rosette started showing up in cities around the world, including Paris, Buenos Aires, New York, and London. The Mark of the Rosette is our superhero’s defining mark that appeared in a prophecy from the animal world.
Coupled together, our superheroes, The Rosette and Himmy, enter the real world as the graphic novel becomes published to blur fantasy and reality.
Does The Rosette really exist?
Does an invisible snow leopard travel through the city leaving silver footprints?
First stencil done!
Paris, Summer 2017
Stencils for Himmy's paw prints flying through the streets of Paris. Summer 2017
The mark of The Rosette on Rue Legouvé. Paris, Spring 2018.
Stumbled across one of the marks of The Rosette? Tag #TheRosette