Art fellowship recipents reading at Willoughby & Baltic Dec. 14

by Erin K. Gray

West Somerville writer, and recipient of the Artist Fellowships from the Somerville Arts Council, attended the Dec. 6 contributors meeting of The Powderhouse at Davis Square's Mr. Crepe to discuss his upcoming book and Dec. 14 reading at Willoughby and Baltic, which is free and open to the public.

“There are only a the few cities nationwide that supports individual artists, and that alone is a groundbreaking thing,” said Ethan Gilsdorf, who works as a freelance journalist, in addition to teaching writing workshops at the Grub Street school in Boston.

“We’re thrilled to be supported by the Somerville Arts Council,” said Gilsdorf. “This reading is a way to let the community and the city know what we’ve been up to this year.”

Ethan Gilsdorf

Powderhouse photo by Mathew Kaplan

After five years in Paris, Gilsdorf moved to West Somerville in 2004, he said.

“There is an aspect of this city that pays an attention to the arts, and there is still a mix of culture,” he said.  “I foresee myself in Somerville for a while.”

His book in progress, entitled ‘Escape Artists: One Man’s Quest to Find Reality Among Role Playing Freaks, Online Gaming Geeks, Fandom Addicts, World-Builders and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms,’ looks into the American obsession with role playing games, fantasy literature and conventions, he said.

      

“My book is part memoir, part travel log and part inquiry into a pop culture phenomenon examining the fantasy escapist culture in America,” he said.

      

In his book he describes himself a child, and his discovery of Dungeons and Dragons as a high school student, which he used as a way to cope with family struggles, he said.

    

Gilsdorf examines how this role playing has evolved over time, comparing a low tech game like Dungeons and Dragons to modern day visual media games offered on the internet, he said.

    

“When I was a kid playing Dungeons and Dragons I was using my imagination while interacting with people face to face, as well as developing problem solving skills.  With the internet people are building relationships with people they have never meet in person,” he said.

    

“There is a problem with not knowing the qualitative difference between internet relationships and the real world,” he said.

    

Gilsdorf has also looked into research examining the therapeutic value these interactive visual role playing games can have, he said.

   

In one study, researchers examined the effect interactive games had on individuals suffering from severe pain, such as burn victims, he said.

   

“Research is showing that these victims actually suffer less while playing these games,” he said.

   

Through his work as a freelance travel writer and journalist Gilsdorf has visited conventions all over America, an aspect of his job he truly enjoys, he said.  “These are my people.”

   

Gilsdorf  has had the opportunity to meet with individuals around the country who share his interest in the topic and has interviewed with Tolkein experts, he said.

   

“As a former Dungeons and Dragons geek I was excited when  ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies  came out,” he said.  “Tolkein revives this old fantasy culture.”

   

“It makes you realize while this culture has embraced technology, they are still playing cards,” he said.

    

“In the end of my book, I hope to reconcile where I am now as a 41 year old, because of this research and reflection about why people, including myself, use this fantasy world as a way to escape and deal with reality,” he said.

   

His book has been picked up by an agent, and he hopes to complete the process of publishing it in the next few years, he said.

    

Gilsdorf, along with friend and fellow writer Ted Weesner, Jr., both 2007 recipients of the Artist Fellowships from the  Somerville Arts Council, will read from their works Friday at 7 p.m., at Willoughby and Baltic art space, 195 G Elm St.