Describing “Drawn: The Art of Ascent” is a challenge.
In short, it’s a book about climbing.
But describing it that way is a disservice to the all-around most beautiful book I’ve ever read and one of the most vivid movies I’ve ever seen. “Drawn” is about friendship and family, about goals and adventure and risks.
Jeremy Collins, the author of the book and creator of the accompanying movie, is on tour right now. I asked him how he describes the book. Even he realizes it’s hard to categorize.
“Simple,” he said. “It’s an adult-children’s book, graphic-novel- memoir-adventure-travel-journal-story-art book. Make sense?”
Collins is a climber, author and artist. You’ve probably seen his artwork, even if you didn’t know it at the time. His art has been on the cover of National Geographic and in climbing magazines and his work is on many items of outdoor clothing. He draws intricate maps, the kind you’d hang on a wall. Some of his art is whimsical, a man with a bird living in his beard, or a person lounging on a hill, partially one with the ground.
“Drawn” tells the story of Collins’ quest to climb first ascents in the four cardinal directions from his home in Missouri : To the north, east, south and west.
His dream journey started as just an idea, a suggestion to his friend and mentor, Jonny Copp. When Collins mentioned the idea, Copp said “When do we get started?” Collins stopped dreaming and started planning.
Then Copp was killed in an avalanche.
The nature of Collins’ adventure shifted. It was still a journey to explore and climb. But now it was also a tribute to his friend.
Copp’s mother sent some of her son’s ashes to Collins, and he carried them with him. West to Yosemite, East to China, South to Venezuela and North to Canada.
Now his adventures are carrying him around the country, including a recent stop in Seattle. I picked up a copy of “Drawn” after a showing of the movie.
That night, I stayed up way too late, reading half the book in one go. I finished it the next night.
Reading “Drawn” so quickly was somewhat unavoidable. The words and images swept me along. Since then, I keep picking up the book randomly. I flip through the pages and stare at my favorite artwork or re-read my favorite sections.
Most pages are like a collage, exquisitely designed. Sometimes Collins tells the story with words, sometimes with photos, sometimes with art.
Collins said it was a struggle to decide when to use words or when to use images.
“My first draft of the book was 65,000 words, and with my editor Kate’s chain saw, we turned it into a measly 18,000-word pile of sawdust,” he said. “I took all the imagery I had created in my sketchbooks on the journey and built a library of sorts to pull from. The bulk of the imagery comes from there.”
On one colorful page, Collins says “Nighttime is when I miss my family the most. … I awoke with a start. I went out into the cold, and what awaited me outside defies description…
The facing page is a painting of Collins staring up at the sky, which was dancing with the colors of northern lights.
On another page, Collins and his team wait for a plane in Venezeula. “Ciudad Bolivar Pilot Progess Report” is typed across the top of grubby piece of paper. Underneath, handwritten, it says:
“Day one: Pilot is missing parts for his plane.
Day two: Pilot says it’s too rainy.
Day three: ‘OK Gringos, get in the plane. It should work now.’ ”
The book pairs well with the movie. They tell the same basic story, but in different ways.
The movie is a mix of live action and animation. Collins’ skills as an artist allow him to tell the story in a way that live action could never accomplish. At one point, Collins and his climbing partner get stuck in the dark and rain, on a ledge that has turned into a waterfall. Collins’ art shows the scene and the misery in an instant.
Climbing is risky. It’s impossible to ignore that fact and “Drawn” doesn’t. The film shows the risks and the rewards. I never felt as if Collins or his partners were taking a risk without understanding it and being prepared.
Even when they’re thousands of miles away, Collins’ family members are a central part of the movie. While he is drawn to explore, he always feels pulled back to his family. Video clips of his wife and their son and daughter mix with footage and drawings from his adventures. Yet when he’s home, his family is also adventuring — rock climbing, or scrambling or running.
The movie is emotional without being weepy. It’s a tribute to Collins’ friends, family and sense of adventure. It’s the best parts of a love story and an action film.
Collins hopes his book and movie inspire people to find their own adventures, whatever that means for them.
“I would hope it ignites ideas for people to go in their own four directions,” he said. “Not everyone is going to go climb first ascents in far-flung locations, but we all need encouragement to chase after dreams and ideas that make life exciting. … Life has a way of snuffing it out. We get busy on top of busy, and the things that we are drawn to do get set to the side. To ‘Stay Drawn’ is to find that inspiration and stay committed to pursuing the best version of ourselves.”
Read it, see it
“Drawn” will officially be released on May 15. You can buy it from the Mountaineers, or many other book stores. The video can be viewed on Collin’s website.
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