My wife Roxanne is brilliant in so many ways. And for those of you who know her, I know you like her best. (“Hi Jeff. Is Roxanne here?”) This morning she says “I had a thought. What do you think?” Here’s her thought:

“Seeking understanding can halt the creative process.”

I had to ask her what she meant by that because it could go in a couple of ways. Roxanne always wants to know ‘why’ so I assumed she was talking about trying to understand everything about a piece she might be working on. But that’s not what she was talking about. Here’s her explanation:

When you create a work of art, be it jewelry, painting, sculpture, etc., some people will get it and some won’t. If you try to get the people who don’t ‘get it’ to understand what you’re trying to get across, whether some deep meaning or just a fun escape, you get caught up in the weeds of their likes and dislikes and lose a handle on what your perspective is.

Often times as artists, we just create and some of our most satisfying work comes from not thinking but just doing. That’s not to say there’s not planning or designing involved, but it becomes almost intuitive. Some aspects of creating come easier than others and that varies from person to person. Some people are GREAT with color but have trouble with the design aspect. Some people have great design skills but lack the technical skills to pull it off.

All that to say, it becomes very easy to over-think and start trying to get into the head of your audience/customers and lose who you are as an artist. Years ago, someone told me I should do the street fair at the museum where I was teaching silversmithing classes. I have always been more project oriented as I get something in my head and have to make it. I’m not a production kind of guy. But, I was told I needed to have a bunch of products to sell, so I sat down and popped out a bunch of earrings. I Hated IT! I was trying to please someone else not even really knowing who “they” were and what “they” wanted. It crushed my creativity. (Never going to do that again.)

So, remember, you do art for yourself, nobody else. If someone likes it, that’s a bonus. If someone is willing to give you money for your art, that’s a home run! Be creative and don’t overthink any of it. It frees you up to be your most authentic and creative self. Now go create something!