Fieldmouse Press Debut ‘Clutter’ Funded on Kickstarter

Cartoonist Ariel Bordeaux in collaboration with Fieldmouse Press successfully funded their newest comics publication, Clutter: A Scatterbrained Sexual Assault Memoir, on Kickstarter earlier this month. The campaign raised its initial goal of $8,000 within the first two weeks and will run through August 11, 2021 allowing new backers to support the project and obtain Clutter.

Clutter is a graphic memoir addressing a devastating childhood incident from Bordeaux’s life and providing readers with a moving story about how we confront trauma as it affects us in unexpected manners. The comic was originally developed by Bordeaux as a senior thesis when graduating from the Center for Cartoon Studies in 2012. While the content can be harrowing at times, Bordeaux’s willingness to confront and name her own trauma offers readers with hope and possible solutions, as well. Never before published, this updated volume includes a new epilogue and added illustrations to provide the most complete version of this story.

Ariel Bordeaux is a cartoonist publishing comics, zines, and paintings exploring everyday subjects such as identity, parenting, and food. They have previously published comics work, including Deep Girl, No Love Lost, and Raisin Pie, at publishers including Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly. Bordeaux holds degrees from The Museum School in Boston, MA and the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT and is currently a gallery member at The Collective gallery in Warren, RI.

This marks the first Kickstarter campaign by Fieldmouse Press, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the comics arts through the publication of comics, art, criticism, and essays for the public’s benefit. Its successful launch combined with a diverse and experienced board of directors showcases the early potential of Fieldmouse as a new “indie operation” in the American comics scene. This also includes Solrad, an ongoing criticism feature spotlighting the best work in the indie comics scene.

Recent years have seen the closure of many acclaimed small press operations, including Koyama Press, AdHouse Books, and Peow. The arrival of Fieldmouse with its first Kickstarter campaign provides some relief and provides a new, reliable publishing operation for comics artists outside of the mainstream.

Readers interested in supporting Clutter: A Scatterbrained Sexual Assault Memoir can find the Kickstarter here. Information about past, current, and upcoming projects from Fieldhouse Press can be found on their website here. The Kickstarter for Clutter ends August 11.