“ Critiquing the Critics” is a wonderful essay written by Helen Lee with a powerful message. The essay talks about young artists who post their work on the Internet and are then harshly criticized by other users. These online critics or “bad art bloggers”  as Lee puts it, call the work they see online “ cringy” which is a terrible thing to say about people who are just starting to draw. Lee tries to explain that people draw for fun and compares this to swimmers; some swim as a sport while others swim for leisure. Lee ends off her wonderful essay by encouraging online critics to give constructive criticism to the artists rather than discouraging children.

Lee writes in a very unique way. She speaks the truth but also tells the reader how things can get better. I wholeheartedly agree with every word in that essay because I too, as a writer and a composer, have encountered harsh, opinion-based criticism. Lee understands that negativity is impossible to stop but she teaches others to  ignore the feedback. After all, art is art and each person has the full right to draw what they wish. Lee also brings up the point that” like creating art, writing constructive criticism takes effort.” I think that it is easy to insult others but helping them is both kind and helpful.