pride in my work?

I got a hundred on my first design project. Art teachers usually like me and my work, so this wasn't a big shock, though I was ready for anything since I don't know this teacher yet and wasn't quite sure if I'd done well or not. Apparently this was a big deal and not everyone was so fortunate.

Of course, that means I have no where to go but down.

We were to bring in our ideas for the next project today. I had one that I thought was great - a really interesting and "dessi" idea that looked really neat in my head. I explained my sketch to the teacher, and she said no.

What?

"No. Your theme is already overdone. I've seen it a million times. And it doesn't live up to the standard I saw in your last work. You need to come up with something else."

Just like that. My original idea that I was excited about executing was tossed out like so much garbage.

She thought I was mad at her, and I was a little, I guess. Not, I think, because she'd insulted my creativity or forced me to start all over again, but because I didn't understand. In my mind, this was a much better idea than my last one. I have a clearer idea for it and know exactly how I want to do it. And as the class went on I got more frustrated because she was trying to give the class more specifics on what it was she wanted this project to be... and I'd done exactly what she was asking for.

I couldn't come up with a better idea. I couldn't come up with many ideas at all, but certainly none that were better than my original. They all look boring in my mind, no interest, no movement.

Then she came by and said that a doodle on my pad looked like a really great shape and that I should use it and I was like, what the heck? How? I've been mulling over this shape for a while already and can't make it work. What do you want me to do?

By the end of the class, I just decided that I couldn't care about it. I'm going to have to do a project that won't make sense or look good to me but will hopefully be what she's looking for. I think I can do what she's looking for, even do it well, but I won't think it's very good. But she's the teacher so I have to be okay with that.

I'm going to do my original idea as well, on my own time. It's freeking cool and I don't even care. plbth.