AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICALLY-INSPIRED GRAPHIC NOVEL EXPLORES MENTAL HEALTH AND SCHIZOPHRENIA
AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTI FURNAS
Fox Foxerson ’ s got a new roommate . Fox Foxerson ’ s got a new job . Fox Foxerson ’ s got a date . The roommate is only a little strange , sometimes . The job seems to involve … filing ? It ’ s not very clear . The date seems to be more interested in someone else . Fox would rather be making art .
This quirky , humorous graphic novel tinged with pathos , immerses readers in the constant question : are you okay ? Fox is not okay , but Fox is working on it . In this interview , Christi Furnas discusses Fox and her creation of CRAZY LIKE A FOX : ADVENTURES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA from Street Noise Books .
For those who aren ’ t familiar , can you tell us what readers can expect from this book ? Fox Foxerson tells my story , how as a young adult I moved to a new city to become an artist and found myself navigating a diagnosis of schizophrenia . All the characters are critters and creatures . The subject is heavy so I use humor to make it accessible . Plus there ’ s a wee bit of a critique of the mental healthcare industrial complex .
How did this project come about ? I ’ ve been an artist my whole life , drawing , painting and carrying a sketchbook . After telling my stories publicly for years , I thought it would only be natural to illustrate them with some sort of comic . I had no idea what I was getting into .
Tell us more about how you adapted your own experiences for this graphic novel ? I started this project to tell a few stories about my experience with psychotic illness . I progressed from “ This happened to me ,” to “ Isn ’ t it absurd that this happened ?” The comics form allowed me more distance to explore and express my feelings from that time .
How did you develop the style for this graphic novel ? I draw in black ink on paper . I love negative space and implied lines . My style is to communicate as much as I can economically . I avoid shading and crosshatching . Basically , I work from a six panel grid , but stray from that format when I want the reader to feel crazy with Fox .
What kind of obstacles did you face while putting this title together ? I ’ ve never worked sequentially before . But I came to the table knowing how to tell a story and how to draw . With a grant and a mentor , I learned to combine them coherently on the page .
Also , I struggled with which stories to tell . I ’ ve been through some tough stuff and drawing it out brought back vivid memories . In the middle of writing , I decided that every chapter had to have an element of comedy .
What would you say is the most rewarding part of the process ? I love having conversations that would not have otherwise happened . They are with people who have had a similar experience , or with people whose family member has had a similar experience . Folks relate to Fox in all kinds of ways that surprise me . I also had a blast with my creative process . I always say , if you aren ’ t having fun , it will show in your work .
In terms of audience , who is this book for ? This is truly a coming of age story . Fox just wants to make it on their own as an artist . Young or old , if you ’ ve had experience with mental illness , you will relate to Fox . If you want to start a conversation about mental illness , this book is a great way to break the ice .
What are you hoping readers take away from this book ? I want folks to enjoy the read , appreciate the illustration and get a kick out of my sense of humor . Hopefully Crazy Like a Fox will lift some of the fear and stigma around talking about psychotic illness . It offers hope . I ’ m happy and thriving .
ABOUT THE CREATOR • Christi Furnas is a queer cartoonist , illustrator , oil painter , and disability rights advocate . She has exhibited in galleries across Minnesota and in New York City . Christi ’ s career includes over ten years of arts administration , teaching art workshops , and numerous speaking engagements . With a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant Christi created the mini-comic , Crazy Like a Fox : Adventures in Schizophrenia , which she has since developed into a full-length graphic novel . The comic ’ s protagonist , Fox Foxerson currently has an advice column in Dispatch , a Twin Cities publication covering arts and culture . Christi lives with her partner in Minneapolis , Minnesota . This is her debut graphic novel .
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