'Don't Go Where I Can't Follow' by Anders Nilsen

This heart-wrenching collection of mixed media tells the tale of losing a loved one

By Anne C. Johnson
Published: February 28th, 2007 | 5:47pm

Most couples encounter their fair share of small catastrophes. Anders Nilsen and his fiancé, Cheryl Weaver, were no different, perhaps a little more cursed than the average pair. Unfortunately, Nilsen and Weaver had to face the worst possible of all relationship tragedies together. Don't Go Where I Can't Follow is Chicago-based artist Nilsen's (Dogs and Water, Monologues for the Coming Plague) chronicle of their relationship and of Weaver's ultimately losing battle with Hodgkin's Disease (cancer of the lymphatic system) in November 2005. The book is a lovingly and beautifully crafted mixed media tribute to Cheryl and of their time spent together conveyed through Anders' considerable and unique talent for storytelling.

This very well developed story is revealed through various media such as postcards, letters, photos, as well as Nilsen's drawings. What emerges is the tale of a couple that had weathered more than its fair share of mishaps, but the sensitive twosome's sense of humor and affection for each other always sustained them through these little calamities. Cheryl's illness comes on very quickly - somewhere between a somewhat disastrous trip to France in February, and April 2005 - and their time spent in Cook County Hospital is unflinchingly documented in the pages of Nilsen's journal.

Despite its brevity, Don't Go Where I Can't Follow packs an incredible amount of emotion in its mere 86 pages. The chapter entitled "The Lake" details Cheryl's memorial service and the eventual scattering of her ashes on Lake Michigan is told in comic book panels and may just be one of the saddest passages you will ever read, but it may also be one of the most cathartic. Nilsen's work is a deeply personal homage to the woman who was to be his wife, and he has generously chosen to share his beautiful and honest tale of love and loss.