Who is Chris?
My name is Chris Fornesa and I am a Pilipino, autistic, queer, bakla (he/siya) man who’s always looking to expand my horizons, express my creativity, and reclaim my cultural identity.
Links
Fornesus – The Brand
I created the Fornesus brand as a way to consolidate my online business aspirations and endeavors. These sub-brands/brands include: Fornesa Art, Woke Us Designs, and CSF Today. These sites are and/or contain some of my most valuable digital assets and are the results of my dreams. If you would like to support these endeavors, please feel free to get in touch!
CftxP – The Alter-Ego
CftxP has been my online alter-ego since 2006 when I needed to sign up for a Pokémon forum and I wanted to choose a username that I would use everywhere. Hence, I chose “CftxP” to denote my initials, the state where I lived at the time (and still live – it is home after all) and, naturally, Pokémon – of course. Although I have long been out of my Pokémon phase (I have graciously given my nephews my entire Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh card collections), I still keep the name because I love consistency and, also, it feels like a sheer part of my identity that will always be part of who I am, it is the very culmination of my online presence.
So, to this day, CftxP is still the username I use in numerous social media platforms and, in fact, I am CftxP in at least the main social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you would like to get to know more about me, feel free to check me out on those platforms!
Fornesa Art – The Creation
Fornesa Art is a brand that I created in 2021 to ring in the new year. While, technically starting as a breakaway from my CftxP persona, I am likely the most dedicated (at this point in time) to this identity as pursuing my art (along with the full-time work that I currently do) are literally two of the many parts of my dream (which grows/contracts by the minute).
For 2021, my New Year’s resolution was to draw every single day and – for the most part, I have kept this promise and it has done wonders for the quality of my work and the efficiency of my creative process(es). Fornesa Art may be one of my newest personas/brands, but, to me, it is probably the most exciting because seldom do I actually get the opportunity to express myself in the most creative ways possible. Through the platform that I am building with Fornesa Art, I have given myself at least the chance to do this.
My Three Life Tenets
Creativity
I, like many others, made the mistake of listening to those who claimed that creativity, and anything derivative from it, was “childish”. Expressing my creativity has only enhanced my life and my connections with people. Thus, I make sure to stay as creative as possible and apply creative solutions to any problems that I face. My creativity is, by far, my greatest asset, my greatest gift, and my greatest hindrance.
Liberation
Although I was born in Anaheim, California in the United States, I am well aware of the impacts of white supremacy on people of color on a global scale. At the same time, I am even more keenly aware that the cultures of the various peoples who make up the Philippines have been brutalized and impacted by the impacts of Spanish colonization and American imperialism. Thus, I believe that liberation for all people of color is a global necessity.
Self-Care
I will be the first to admit that I do not give myself enough self care. I am always thinking about something, thinking about doing something, or actually doing something – to the point that I seldom give myself enough time to really relax, sleep, eat, etc. I want to do better though and I desire a life with balance among work (both my analytical career and my art career), life, and relaxation. If I will succeed, only time will tell.
Untitled
Christopher Fornesa
Ink and colored pencil on paper
To see more work, please go to Fornesa Art and follow me on Instagram.