Turning fear inside out, just like Paula Rego

Little Paula would draw non-stop. And she would hide from the dark, from scary stories and from everything that scared her. But Paula grew up and became an artist. And in her paintings, she showed brave women: adventurous, bold and fearless, who chose their own destinies and their own dreams, turning the fear inside out.
Written and illustrated by Catarina Sobral, Virar o medo ao contrário, como a Paula Rego draws from the childhood of this Portuguese artist who, through the power of imagination, of her restlessness, and of the facing of fears, used to transform fantasies and personal experiences into colorful and engaged paintings, which intertwine the intimate, the collective, women’s freedoms and women’s rights. Various books and movies were made about Paula, and her works of art were exhibited with great acclaim throughout the world.

About the author
Catarina Sobral was born in Coimbra, in 1985. She is an illustrator, author, and filmmaker of animated films. With an undergrad in Design and a master’s degree in Illustration, she has published books in several countries and accumulated dozens of awards, amongst them the International Award for Illustration at the Bologna Book Fair.
About Paula Rego
Paula Rego was born in Lisbon, in 1935, and passed away in 2022, in London. Paula was one of the most influential artists of her time. Her works engage with literature and folk tales, as well as with politics, feminism, and myths. A champion of freedom and women’s rights, Paula Rego explored human relationships with a critical eye on the established order and on the power structures and dynamics that shape, limit, and violate her characters.

Specifications
Title Turning fear inside out, just like Paula Rego
Author Catarina Sobral
Illustrator Catarina Sobral
Language Portuguese
Page count 40
Publisher Cobogó
ISBN 978-65-5691-196-0
Cover Catarina Sobral
Format Softcover
Size 22 x 22 cm
Year 2026