In a reassuring story coming out of Atlanta, GA, 25-year-old painter Marie Lee was concerned that entering into a healthy relationship with her longtime fling would ruin the sense of creativity she’s drawn from failed relationships in the past. Luckily, she still has mental illness to rely on!
When Marie’s longtime casual fling, Kyle Wingen, asked if she’d be willing to enter into a committed relationship with him, she was initially hesitant, fearing that his stability and consistent love would complicate her artistic dreams.
“I just feel like so much of my creativity is borne of adverse circumstances,” Marie told reporters. “And I was worried that being with a partner who is so secure and communicative would make it harder for me to come up with interesting ideas. But then I remembered: wait, I’m also super mentally ill.”
While her past paintings were primarily expressionist takes on failed intimacy and feelings of loneliness, she’s now interested in creating art installations that muse upon themes like, “Anxiety and Depression: the Devil’s Combo,” and “Living to Work or Working to Live? My Daily Battle with Mild, Medicated ADHD.”
“Luckily, I had a lot of different types of mental illness to rely on for inspiration,” Marie continued. “And as soon as I’ve bled my own issues dry, I’ll just delve into my parents’!”
“There’s no way this is healthy,” Marie’s roommate, Hannah Deaken, told reporters. “But goddamn, she’s making some amazing art.”
Critics are lauding Marie’s latest work as “incisive” and “the creation of a disturbed mind.” One reviewer even said, “It’s clear that her relationship is going great, but she’s still not well mentally, and that’s so important when it comes to the act of creation!”
“If I’ve learned anything from this experience it’s that I really can have it all,” Marie told reporters. “Well, I can have two of three things: a healthy relationship, a peaceful mind, or a thriving art career. And I would say I’ve chosen correctly!”
At press time, Marie’s doctor recommended a combination of therapy and medical treatment to combat her mental illnesses. Marie was hesitant, given that it could affect what creativity she has left, but then she remembered she still has a lot of fucked up little thoughts to rely on anyway!
