An Emotionally Frustrated Texas Artist is Usually Out of Booze

Summary

A Texas artist, P.G. Barnett, humorously expresses the frustration of dealing with creative challenges and social media dares while navigating life during COVID-19, all while possibly running low on alcohol.

Abstract

In a lighthearted and self-deprecating article, P.G. Barnett, a Texas-based artist, recounts a series of creative challenges posed by fellow artists B. A. Cumberlidge, Timothy Key, and Earnest Painter, which culminate in a humorous poem and a video recording. Barnett's narrative is interwoven with the comedic struggle of maintaining an adequate supply of alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he humorously suggests is essential for his creative process and emotional well-being. Despite the playful complaints about the pressure of meeting these challenges, Barnett rises to the occasion, accepting the dares and producing content, albeit with a reluctant admission of his limitations in video production compared to his peers.

Opinions

Barnett views the lack of alcohol as a significant source of frustration for artists in Texas, particularly during the creative process.
He acknowledges the challenges set by his peers as a source of pressure but also as a motivator for his own creative output.
The artist expresses a sense of camaraderie and friendly competition within the artistic community, as evidenced by the playful banter and tagging in social media challenges.
Barnett humorously downplays his own video production skills, comparing himself unfavorably to prolific video creators like Chris Hedges, whom he likens to a "Merlin" or "wizard" in the realm of video making.
Despite the jocular tone, there is an underlying appreciation

What else is there to be frustrated about? Oh yeah, this COVID thing. Well, booze helps with that too.

In my humble opinion in Texas, emotionally frustrated artists come in only one very distinct type. Those who lack a sufficient stock of booze to get them through their creative processes of the day, uh hour, okay minute, dammit.

Look, I’m frustrated okay?

First, it was B. A. Cumberlidge. He challenged Timothy Key to do a video. Then Earnest Painter jumped into the fray and challenged Tim to post an article about an emotionally frustrated artist. So what does old firefighter Tim do? He does both in one piece. A hilarious poem about a murder on the high seas (actually in the marina) and takes a video of him reading the sucker.

Then what does Tim do? He tags my ass and says, “Well, P.G. what’s it going to be, dude?”

Really Tim? Really?

Now look, all three of you dudes. I don’t know if I can handle all this pressure! Glug, glug, glug. Well okay, maybe I can. Glug, glug, glug, glug, glug.

Me wiping the foam off my upper lip: Oh, hellfire and damnation I sure as hell can!

Okay, first let’s deal with Earnest Painter’s challenge via Mr. Keys. Seeing as how this is my last friggin beer — unless I want to don my hazmat suit and drive my F150 to the liquor store which, thank God, has been deemed essential, for a twenty-four pack — I’m going remain an emotionally frustrated (and sober) Texas artist at least as long as it takes me to finish this piece.

Do you have any idea how emotionally frustrating it is to be emotionally frustrated?

Oh, and near sober?

That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Now about this damned video. Do you guys actually think I’m some kind of freaking Martin Scorsese? A filmmaker extraordinaire? A Steven Spielberg? Sure, I’m old enough to claim the Jurassic period as the time interval in which I was born, but expecting me to create an artsy-fartsy video?

Who do you think I am Chris Hedges? That woman has videos spurting out her freaking ears. She’s a relative magician when it comes to video making. A Merlin, I tell ya, a wizard!

I ain’t even a Harry Potter apprentice compared to her.

I do words, not videos and music and all that shit. Hell, I couldn’t even color inside the lines as a first grader. Okay, don’t blame me when you see the video below. Remember you guys asked for this:

And yes I really sound like that in real life, so don’t nobody start making any wise cracks about it okay?

Y’all happy now?

A Timothy Key Writing Challenge

An Emotionally Frustrated Texas Artist is Usually Out of Booze

What else is there to be frustrated about? Oh yeah, this COVID thing. Well, booze helps with that too.

Hello ILLUMINATION

undefined

Thank you so much for reading. You didn’t have to, but I’m certainly glad you did.