March to the beat of your own drum

No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.

– Ansel Adams

This is one of my favorite quotes about art, especially the first part;

No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce…

It is important for me to avoid the trap of playing to the gallery. I like praise as much as the next person but need to remind myself that it is perfectly OK to go off in a direction that no one else ‘gets’. Sometimes these explorations lead to dead ends but once in a while they lead to something that really connects with both myself and a larger audience.

The take home message here, I suppose, is that as an artist, you need to be able to function without positive feedback for periods of time to find your best work.