Meet Abigail Baldwin | Writer & Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abigail Baldwin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abigail, how do you think about risk?
When I was a child my family moved very often, on average about every nine months. We were very religious and giving up security, stability, and comfort was always painted as a sacrifice for the greater good. We sold everything and moved overseas, then we came back, then we left again, and I believed we were doing it all to prove our loyalty to god. As an adult, I’ve had to learn how to reclaim the idea of risk for myself, not as a required tribute to a higher power. In many respects, starting my zine Slutty Garage feels like the first risk I’ve ever taken for myself. Moving from Boston to LA at 21 didn’t feel like a risk, because I was so used to moving and fundamentally changing every aspect of my life. Admitting to myself that I am an artist, however, feels like a massive risk because it requires belief in myself which is completely unnatural to me. Gratefully, SG has ended up not being so much about me at all, thanks to my incredible community of contributors. Still, making something that once existed only in my head into a reality risks disappointment in myself, rejection from my peers, and financial loss. These risks all feel worthwhile.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Slutty Garage is a literary and arts zine I launched in August 2022. I creative direct, edit, and design every issue myself but the content comes from contributors both within and outside of LA. Although I am the Editor of SG I consider myself primarily a writer, and I try to contribute an essay of my own in every issue in addition to my editor’s letter. I decided I would be a writer when I was 16 and my English teacher introduced the class to David Sedaris and I discovered the concept of an “autobiographical essay.” I was absolutely stunned, having only ever read fiction up to that point. I didn’t know nonfiction could be more than simply educational or straightforward biography or journalism. As little girls, my sister and I would design little magazines together on Microsoft Word. In college, I joined the staff of an “arts and culture” magazine and climbed up to editorial director within a couple of semesters. Leading a team of writers, and helping them conceptualize their stories and edit their work brought me unbridled creative joy that I had not previously experienced while pursuing a film degree. Then, I moved to LA and COVID happened and I lost all sense of myself as an artist. By the summer of 2022, Slutty Garage was a concept I had been sitting on for a long time. Eventually, I was unable to go on without putting my energy into something other than survival and SG was born, a “quarterly” book that explores womanhood, queerness, sexuality, identity, art, and music.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I actually have one of my best friends from childhood visiting next month so I have been thinking about this. Brunch at Millie’s, walk around the Silverlake Reservoir, coffee at Andante in Echo Park (get the Mohalk latte), lunch at Jewel in Virgil Village, lounging at Echo Park Lake, drinks at Spirit House in Echo Park (best bar team), Dinner at the Lonely Oyster, Espresso Martinis at Bar Flores. That’s one day. Other necessary spots to visit, Bar Chelou, Cha Cha Lounge, The Yard Theatre, Book Soup, Griffith Park, My friend Yesi’s back patio, The Ruby Fruit, Akbar, the Los Feliz 3, the Skylight Arts Annex, Canyon Coffee for the people watching, my buddy Matt’s balcony afterward with coffee in hand, and Malibu lagoon state beach.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am quite literally nothing without my community, namely, Roberto Guevara, Aine Geraghty, Martha Ruby Clark, Yesenia Rego, and my sisters Samantha and Rachel. Matt Gaillet who took my pictures for this! All of the bars that have kept me employed in this city. My writing heroes David Sedaris and Melissa Febos.

Website: www.abigailbaldwin.com

Instagram: @grimyhag @sluttygarage

Other: https://linktr.ee/sluttygarage

Image Credits
Portraits and SG. Vol. 4 Cover by Matt Gaillet, Release party photos by Aine Geraghty ft. Ryan Anthony