> But then I looked back, into the abyss of self-doubt. I erupted with fear, self-loathing, dark thoughts about how bad my work was, how pointless, unoriginal, ridiculous. “You don’t know how to draw,” I told myself. “You never went to school. Your work has nothing to do with anything. You’re not a real artist. Your art is irrelevant. You don’t know art history. You can’t paint. You aren’t a good schmoozer. You’re too poor. You don’t have enough time to make your work. No one cares about you. You’re a fake. You only draw and work small because you’re too afraid to paint and work big.”

I find it very harsh and inappropriate to conclude that the author just wanted to "play artist" from this. I'm not surprised he quit making art altogether - the experience sounds very traumatic, and I have seen this up close with other friends who stopped making art altogether - if anything, for most of them that is because they believe in art much more than many other artists.