Shortly before her thirtieth  birthday, Ellen Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic but terrified that medications would cause her to lose her creativity and livelihood, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability without losing herself or her passion. 
 
Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the "crazy artist," Ellen finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. 
 
With dazzling storytelling, bold illustrations, and razor-sharp wit, Marbles offers a wholly unique and visceral glinpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist's work and seeks to answer: is mental illness a curse, or is it actually a gift?