As I matured as an artist I came to recognize and respect that creative freedom springs forth within the boundaries. As my creative self evolved I became more self directed and more clear about my artistic inspiration. With maturity and confidence I was clear about and able to define the boundaries that I wanted to explore. It has been within these self-imposed limits that my creative process flourishes. Yesterday morning I heard a comment on the radio that mirrors this idea: “You limit things so that you can explore their universe more thoroughly.” Why is this take on creative freedom relevant to the business of art? Because in order to succeed in business one most offer and communicate a well defined value proposition to a target market. So for example, what if a musician asserted that they were a country musician and an opera signer? It’s just hard to buy. Right? Can you enjoy or be inspired by an eclectic mix? Certainly. Can you become known for both? Not likely. Artists have to pick their lane. This is not only a law of creativity but it is also true of business and marketing. Now laws are indeed made to be broken. So often, not always, once an artist has established a clear market niche they can experiment and maybe even cross over to another genre. Bottom line. Know thyself. If you know yourself others can know you. And to know you is to love you.
