The Robe of Rainbow Feathers is a book, audiobook, animated short film conceived, written and narrated by multi-faceted musician and writer Diane Arkenstone. The project was created with the collaboration with illustrator Anja Silbar, director and sound designer Wesley Price, animator Isaac David Quesada and composer Daniel Cimo. It’s geared toward kids aged 3-5 with strikingly colorful images, classically-inflected music and a simple, yet vivid storyline with themes that resonate with people of all ages.
The main character lives in a house set in an idyllic natural setting that allows her to foster a respect for the many friends and colorful creatures that live near her and gather around her. The young girl eventually grows to learn that the world also contains negative elements and is not always so kind. As she grows older she ultimately overcomes her fears by focusing on the kind and peaceful aspects of the world, giving her a lifetime of courage and happiness.
About the Story
Diane Arkenstone has written a handful of books geared toward children such as Tippy Tap Toes, It Happened On Cherry Street and Little Leaf’s Big Adventure. This story is dedicated to “our beautiful Earth and all of her children” and captures a familiar sense of wonder and innocence that reflects back on her childhood. Yet, The Robe of Rainbow Feathers goes further than any of her past works for children as it sensitively explores themes such as negativity in the world and the concept of aging and even death. It’s one of her most personal projects and a deep dive into her emotions. It’s unique that she can share these emotions creatively through the eyes of a child and in such a way that children can understand.
Diane shares some of her inspirations: “I still feel like a kid and keep childhood alive by writing these stories. And writing children’s stories is a great joy because I can share parts of my wild, wonderful childhood in the stories.”
“I was in deep grief from the recent passing of our mom and started writing to channel the grief and this story just came out.”
– Diane Arkenstone
In this multi-media release, Diane narrates the audio book but also surrounded herself with a talented group of collaborators that were key in every detail that the ambitious project required. The illustrations of Anja Silbar evoke a sense of wonder in their whimsy and simplicity. Wesley Price took the helm as director, producer and sound designer and was basically the glue that held the film elements together. Wesley contacted animator Isaac David Quesada who brought the narrative and imagery to life invoking a unique sense of joy in the puppet-like animation. Wesley also brought in composer Daniel Cimo, whose strikingly beautiful score augments the sublime imagery.
Stay tuned for The Robe of Rainbow Feathers Animated Film Premiere soon!
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