a letter from the editor

The title of this zine is meant to convey that, in a society that emphasizes success in the form of skilled accomplishments, there is all the more reason for pursuit motivated purely by passion and curiosity.  For far too many years of my life, my fear of failure has kept me from participating in the things I desired; my small pea brain was riddled by a debilitating anxiety of appearing unskilled or unknowledgeable.  But alas, how silly I was, for the world is so big and we all have so much to learn!

I would consider myself to be someone who has a mess of creative interests, but I have never put significant effort into developing outstanding skill in any of these areas. Sure, I play three instruments, but I still hesitate to call myself a musician. According to the technical definition of the phrase, I am a professional photographer, but some days I still feel like I did in high school, a disoriented teenager with a fancy camera and a hazy vision. This imposter syndrome kept me trapped in an unexpressive reality, terrified of presenting my art to the world because “it’s not really art” or because I thought it simply wasn’t good enough. Over the past couple years, however, I have learned to embrace my creativity, putting aside my reservations and embracing the vulnerability that comes with sharing the things I create.

I have been obsessed with vulnerability for as long as I can remember. There’s something intoxicating about the power and fragility that comes with baring your soul to another person, unsure of how you will be received. Sharing my experiences with (at least a portion of) the world has enabled me to grow and heal in a very special way.  Thank you for taking the time to explore this project of mine.

xoxo, Vi