Chelsea Martin Livres

"At her San Francisco art school, Joey enrolls in a film elective that requires her to complete what seems like a straightforward assignment: create a self-portrait. Joey inexplicably decides to remake Wes Anderson's Rushmore despite having never seen the movie. As Tell Me I'm An Artist unfolds over the course of the semester, the assignment hangs over her as she struggles to exist in a well-heeled world that is hugely different from any she has known. Miles away, Joey's sister goes missing, leaving her toddler with their mother, who in turn suggests that Joey might be the selfish one for pursuing her dreams. Meanwhile, her only friend at school, the enigmatic Suz, makes meaningful, appealing art, a product of Suz's own singular drive and talent as well as decades of careful nurturing by wealthy, sophisticated parents"-- Provided by publisher

Exploring the complexities of growing up in a "trashy" California town, this collection delves into Chelsea Martin's journey as an artist. Through a humorous and candid lens, she navigates relationships, class struggles, art, sex, and family dynamics while transitioning to college life in Oakland. Set against the backdrop of the late 1990s and early 2000s, the narrative reflects on the challenges of adolescence and the unique experiences of being both weird and poor during this transformative period.