The dilemma of the artist and their desire for attention, admiration, dissemination, success is in how to be unique but still have people be able to relate to you and your work.
When I was applying for teaching jobs back in the 80s and 90s I once had a Professor from UCLA, the Chairman of the Art Department, tell me that the job search committee loved my unique imagery. They admired my style and combination of disparate elements into a one-of-a-kind artistic statement.
He then wanted to know who my influences were and where my influences came from. He said that the committee had a hard to placing me in a continuum of styles and artists because I didn’t really fit any directly.
I explained the best I could but also mentioned that the influences were indirect in most cases and not a case of me directly developing my style from an immediate predecessor. He liked that answer but I didn’t get the job. There were a lot of reasons going into me not getting it I am sure. But I do think they weren’t comfortable with that element that made it hard to place me.
That is the essence of the dilemma for the artist.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily.
“You do not merely want to be considered the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do.” – Jerry Garcia, 1942-1995, musician
