3 things I learned at The Other Art Fair
Four days surrounded by artists gave me lots to think about
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Recently I spent four days mostly at Brooklyn Navy Yard at The Other Art Fair supporting my boyfriend Drew’s artwork and talking to artists of all kinds, from photographers to ceramics to painters. I’m generally a very cerebral person who gets stuck in my head, who communicates almost entirely in words and writing, so being surrounded by people who are creative in other ways was very welcome. I bought a print of the above painting, “Pasta Girl,” by Elisa Valenti, a bowl by Jessamyn as a gift, and a fun, colorful print by Fiona Chinkan that reminded me of Keith Haring.
Here’s some of the artwork I especially liked and 3 things I learned at the art fair.
Everyone has a story
Through the course of the art fair, I chatted with many of the artists, some about their work, some about their lives, some about both. There were artists from various countries, but mostly the United States, and each had a different reason for making their art. There was one artist from Switzerland, Johannes, whose work I walked by many times before stopping. When I did, his explanations of the meanings behind the artwork made me want to buy one in particular, with a little figure of a person surrounded by tiny balls made of styrofoam, indicative of a person with umpteen thoughts battling for attention in their mind.
Taste in art is subjective
Just as with writing, or any other art form, there’s no telling who will gravitate toward your work and who won’t. What some people love, some people hate. You can’t take it personally because you can only control what you create, not the response to it. That’s a lesson I know intellectually, but sometimes forget as I sit down to write.
There are an infinite number of ways to make art
After absorbing so many colors and materials and styles and approaches, it was all a bit overwhelming, but it reminded me that every person’s path to creating art is different. They all had different influences and reasons for making their art. Some were literal and some were abstract. Some had artist statements about what the art meant and others left that totally up to the viewer to determine for themselves. I found lots of personal takeaway for my writing by seeing over 100 artists all in one space, similar to a bookstore with hundreds of titles all competing for a shopper’s attention. Some caught my attention more than others, and in talking to various friends who visited, I got to see which ones caught their eye.
Link love
An excerpt about growing up in the Lyman Family cult from screenwriter and actress Guinevere Turner’s memoir When the World Didn’t End, at
“The Potential for Ants” by Meg Weber at
- I was proud to publish this essay on parenting a teenager through a mental health crisis. I’m hoping to get to 500 subscribers by the end of May, so if you haven’t subscribed yet, please do!A romance bookstore called Grump and Sunshine opened in Belfast, Maine! I’m spending a few days in Portland, Maine this summer and am hoping I can take a little detour to Belfast to check them out.
And Los Angeles area romance bookstore The Ripped Bodice is expanding to Park Slope, Brooklyn!
Vulture on NYC literary erotica readings
- I don’t remember exactly how I came across Emma Gannon but I’ve been so intrigued I subscribed and ordered her new book The Success Myth from the UK (I’m waiting for it to arrive). The idea that there’s more than one path to success and we shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to arbitrary standards set by others resonates with me a lot.My CBS Sunday Morning interview - in case you missed it. Thank you so much to everyone I’ve heard from. It was exciting to see it air, and I’m so thankful to the show for respectfully showing our home and relationship.
Books I’m reading
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang - I’m only a few chapters into this novel about a white woman who passes off her dead Asian friend’s novel as her own, and whoa. There’s so much about writing and ambition and race and what June will do to get ahead.
Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman - The premise of this memoir is so bizarre I’ll just share the official description: “Sounds Like Titanic tells the unforgettable story of how Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman became a fake violinist. Struggling to pay her college tuition, Hindman accepts a dream position in an award-winning ensemble that brings ready money. But the ensemble is a sham. When the group performs, the microphones are off while the music—which sounds suspiciously like the soundtrack to the movie Titanic—blares from a hidden CD player. Hindman, who toured with the ensemble and its peculiar Composer for four years, writes with unflinching candor and humor about her surreal and quietly devastating odyssey. Sounds Like Titanic is at once a singular coming-of-age memoir about the lengths to which one woman goes to make ends meet and an incisive articulation of modern anxieties about gender, class, and ambition.”
Fairest by Meredith Talusan - we were just on a panel last night at NYU about the ethics of essay writing. I’ll share more about what I learned there but I also recommend this memoir, which I also think has an amazing cover. Publisher description: “A love story with the heart of Austen classics and a reflective journey of becoming that shift our own perceptions of romance, identity, gender, and the fairness of life.
Fairest is a memoir about a precocious boy with albinism, a "sun child" from a rural Philippine village, who would grow up to become a woman in America. Coping with the strain of parental neglect and the elusive promise of U.S. citizenship, Talusan found comfort from her devoted grandmother, a grounding force as she was treated by others with special preference or public curiosity. As an immigrant to the United States, Talusan came to be perceived as white, and further access to elite circles of privilege but required Talusan to navigate through the complex spheres of race, class, sexuality, and queerness. Questioning the boundaries of gender, Talusan realized she did not want to be confined to a prescribed role as a man, and transitioned to become a woman, despite the risk of losing a man she deeply loved. Throughout her journey, Talusan shares poignant and powerful episodes of desirability and love that will remind readers of works such as Call Me By Your Name and Giovanni's Room.”
What I’m watching
Somebody Somewhere (HBO) - I finally got to watch this show starring Bridget Everett, whose season 2 finale is Sunday night. Murray Hill is wonderful and it’s such a fascinating, queer show whose characters I instantly cared about.
Jane Fonda in Five Acts - I’ve been intrigued by Jane Fonda for a while, especially after watching her on Grace and Frankie. I learned so much about her, from her eating disorder to her various marriages and how each shaped her, but a few things that stood out were her ability to admit when she’s been wrong and own up to her flaws (such as her misgivings about having plastic surgery), her late-in-life deliberateness about how her career (earlier in her life she seems to be saying she was under the sway of diet drugs and bulimia or her various overbearing husbands, including Roger Vadim, Tom Hayden, and Ted Turner). She seems to have left Ted Turner not because of a major disagreement but to be her best self, and that need to finally chart her own path, more than anything, I found inspiring.
Bupkis (Peacock) - I just started watching this sitcom based on star Pete Davidson’s life and while it’s definitely over-the-top in parts, it’s got a great cast (Edie Falco as his mom, Joe Pesci as his grandfather) and I’m enjoying it so far.
Swedish Death Cleaning (Peacock) - I’ve only seen one episode (free whether you subscribe or not, as are many of Peacock’s shows) and wow, is it engaging. If you struggle with clutter or throwing things away, I highly recommend it! Plus the first episode had drag queens and penis memorabilia and a lounge singer looking to enjoy her fabulous life but downsize some of her stuff.
Where to find me
I’ll probably be taking a break from teaching writing classes in July and August while I do some summer traveling and work on other projects, and brainstorm some new classes I want to teach, including how to edit an anthology. So if you want to kick off your personal essay writing or erotica writing, consider taking one of these June classes.
June 11, 1-3 pm ET, Essay Writing 101 Zoom Class. $25/person. Limited to 20 people.
I’ve written essay for dozens of publications, including The Washington Post, CNN.com, Salon, SELF, Insider, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Village Voice, and more. In this class, I share what makes a good essay, offer examples of memorable essays, lead the class through writing prompts and provide feedback, plus all the benefits below. You can read testimonials by alumni of the class here.
Attendees will receive:
Six in-class writing prompts for essays designed to appeal to editors; these can be completed and submitted for publication, if desired
List of suggested reading and resources
Submission tips from editors of personal essay publications
Personalized feedback on work shared in class
Lifetime access to Rachel’s curated list of 50+ essay markets and writing guidelines, which is periodically updated
Invitation to private essay writing class alumni Slack channel
Open submissions at any time to Rachel’s personal essay publication Open Secrets, which pays $100/essay
June 17, 3-5 pm ET, Erotica Writing 101 Zoom Class. $25/person. Limited to 50 people.
In this workshop Rachel Kramer Bussel, professional erotica writer, author of the nonfiction guide How to Write Erotica, and editor of over 70 erotica anthologies, such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica and the Best Women’s Erotica of the Year series, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing. Learn how to get started, find your voice, and write against type. You’ll discover how to incorporate everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies into your writing, and make them fit for particular publications. She’ll also talk about submitting your work and keeping up with the thriving erotica market, including anthologies, ebooks and print books, apps, magazines and websites, as well as getting started with self-publishing, creating a pseudonym and building your author brand. Please have paper and writing implements or a computer to use for writing exercises. A bibliography with erotica resources will be provided.