I've made a 120 page book filled with black-and-white illustrations about my father, who is bipolar. In Until One Sunday We Didn’t words and images are connected illustrating my personal experiences of growing up with a father who becomes a different person from one day to the next.

This book is as much about him as it is about me dealing with his condition.

My book is self-published and you can buy a copy here:

Animation made with Bas Mooij

Animation made with Bas Mooij

When I thought about working on a book, I quickly gravitated towards my father (and his bipolar disorder) as the subject. Something I never used to speak so openly about with anyone.

Especially when I was younger, having a father who was ‘different’ made me feel ashamed. I was always trying to hide the fact that there was something out of the ordinary happening in our home. When my friends came over, I directed them up to my room as soon as possible, where we would play on my Nintendo64. From time to time I would go downstairs by myself to fetch lemonade and snacks in order to avoid having my friends run into Bob who was probably already drunk.

Making this book was a form of therapy for me, drawing out my feelings. Using simple black and white illustrations, I found out that almost every memory I have of him is stained with his condition, yet not any less valuable.