“Stability is good for my creativity,” says Forney.įorney found public libraries to be invaluable in her work as a cartoonist as well as in learning about her diagnosis.

In the end, she was able to accept that her creativity flowed better with the help of the right medication.

Would the meds help or harm the muse that allowed her creations? And during all of this, there’s a consistent concern Forney has for sustaining her creativity. What follows are years of trying different medications for the disorder, all with varying levels of effectiveness and side effects. Once Forney goes to a psychiatrist, she begins to notice the patterns of highs and lows. Combine the words and the images and it’s a double pow!Īs the memoir depicts her dances with mania and all the creativity it incites, it also shows the crash and the feelings of uselessness: the mania creates and the depression destroys. While words are used, Marbles also uses thin and thick lines, light and dark panels, and varying brush strokes to emphasize the emotions of Forney’s diverse situations. There’s a trend now for books, novels, short stories, etc., to be turned into graphic novels. According to her website, she also provides a range of personal drawing projects such as wedding invitations and portraits. She also drew the book I Love Led Zeppelin and Lust: Kinky Online Personal Ads.

Her work of graphic creations was in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, written by Sherman Alexie. Gut-wrenchingly honest, Forney’s memoir not only tells the story of her struggle with bipolar disorder, but also documents her travels along the turbulent road of creativity versus insanity.įorney considers herself a cartoonist, although she is okay with being called an illustrator and artist. Ellen Forney’s graphic memoir, Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo & Me, is now available from Gotham Books (ISBN-10: 1592407323 ISBN-13: 978-1592407323).

Marbles mania depression