A couple weeks ago I went to see Siri Hustvedt read from her new book Sorrows of An American a layered novel written from the view point of Erik Davidsen, a psychiatrist who lives in New York City. In the book Erik and his sister Inga return to Minnesota after the death of their father and discover a note from an unknown woman in his belongings. Ideas of past, identity, and secrets are explored while Erik and Inga uncover their father’s life through his memoirs and ephemera.

Some elements of this novel have been extracted directly from her own experience. Other elements of the story are outside of her own experience, most notably the profession and gender of her main character.

In her talk she spoke of the extensive level of research she undertook in order to bring authenticity to the profession of her main character. She studied and took the New York psychology licensing exam until she was able to pass, read passages of her book to the New York Psychology Board, and began to teach a writing workshop at a mental hospital.

When a member of the audience asked what her next book would be about, and she responded that the next novel will most likely be told from a woman’s point of view. She mentioned that since it takes her about 5 years to write a novel and her last two have been from the point of view of a male main character, she has essentially spent the last 10 years as a man.

I know that playing a role, or inventing a character is common practice for writers, actors, and some visual and performance artists. I also know that we all have different reasons to go about creating the way that we do. When I think of this practice and how it would benefit the writer, I believe it would allow you to the opportunity to view your experience in a mirror, rather than through a camera.

I’m curious to know, for those of you that make work that embodies a reality outside of your waking experience, what is that like and what has it taught you that self-portraiture or auto-biography is unable to?

Harrell Fletcher might be my new hero. I’ve attended a few lectures at California College of the Arts and nary a one inspired me to come home and make stuff.
Harrell Fletcher makes me want to make stuff.

Many of his projects involve him going into communities and getting the residents involved in art pieces. You might be most familiar with his collaboration with Miranda July, www.learningtoloveyoumore.com a site that gives readers art assignments to create and post on the web site. A number of the results have been featured in gallery shows and in the Learning to Love You More book published last year.

I will not go further through the laundry list of awesome projects he has made, inspired, orchestrated or curated because I think this is better off discovered if you go to one of his web sites and become inspired yourself:

• www.learningtoloveyoumore.com
• www.harrellfletcher.com

Yes.