A Totally Normal Artistic Reaction That's Not Ego Driven At All!!!

Thoughts we have when trying a new art form that are perfect, non ego-driven and don't hold us back, ever.

We all need to recharge more often these days. "Try a relaxing hobby!" People say. This usually leads to an art form (or a craft, which is just an art form western patriarchy doesn’t like.) So in order to relax and recharge, I tried crocheting with my boyfriend. And naturally I flipped out when he was better at the slow, noncompetitive hobby than I was after a few seconds.

Here are some reasons I was totally justified and not falling prey to my ego when I flipped out about trying to crochet for the very first time:

• The yarn was way too yarny

• My fingers were all third wheels

• He picked it up more quickly than I did and that’s NOT cool!

See, I have to be good at everything on the first try or I am a terrible failure who doesn’t deserve anything in life! Art is not a skill that develops over time, it’s a born talent that should all be there on the first try no matter what! Also art is an objective thing that’s all about the results, not the journey!

Even if you’re making art just for yourself, just to relax, it’s not creative expression: IT’S AN EVALUATION OF YOUR ENTIRE BEING. If you’re NOT perfect at it, you’re not allowed to enjoy it because it’s bad and you’re bad. Art is very objective that way, there’s good art and bad art and NEVER ANY DEBATE ABOUT WHICH IS WHICH! That’s why there’s no such thing as art critics.

So if your art is not good the first time, don’t try to improve. Just throw a tantrum because all good art is perfect the first time and artists never go through different phases, drafts or learning curves. That’s why there’s no such thing as art classes of any kind!! Let alone BFAs and MFAs! What do those initials even mean? I don’t know, because they don’t exist!