May I?

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

It is interesting to investigate how we make creative decisions, and how so many of those decisions are based on our perceptions of, or fantasies about, how others will feel toward our work. Perhaps this is quite normal for social beings used to negotiating a world of other social beings.

As a society, we give each other permission to live largely as we choose as long as we stay within a system of defined laws. We also give silent individual permissions countless times throughout a day for each other’s personal quirks and pursuits, and in many cases forgive minor trespasses upon what we might consider our turf. But, are we giving enough permission to ourselves to create as we would choose?

When it comes to creating a work of art which we intend to show others, it is only natural to subconsciously consider the “other”—the audience—as we develop our ideas. It is natural, but it can also be a hindrance to our creativity and growth and to the process of developing a unique voice. If succe…