Chapter 110 The Creative Crisis

• Emma's artistic ability abruptly plateaued, resulting in her first encounter with creative frustration and the limitations of inherent talent without persistent work. Her drawings, which had previously amazed adults with their skill, became monotonous and technically static.
• "Emma keeps producing variations of the same subjects using identical techniques," Grace remarked while viewing her daughter's most recent artwork. "She's reached a skill level where natural ability alone won't generate continued improvement."
• Emma was more disappointed by artistic standstill than by any other academic struggle she had faced. Unlike scientific problems that could be solved logically, creative expression necessitated vulnerability and experimentation, which her fastidious tendencies opposed.