Jack of All Trades — Master of ‘Em Too
If y’all grew up anything like the way I did, I know you’ve heard the saying “don’t be the jack of all trades and the master of none.” It’s a way for our wise ol’ counterparts — and believe me, I use the term “wise” loosely — to tell us to focus on one thing because dabbling in too many different activities somehow lowers our rate of success in any given one of them. In theory, I guess that’s good advice.
But, when it comes to art... that’s total bull.
More often than not, artists who delve into their craft find that they are talented in multiple aspects of art. And, aside from that, art is layered; it takes multiple creative perspectives to put together any cohesive piece. As creatives, we NEED to be multifaceted. Our work depends on it.
But one thing that I’ve learned is that some people are intimidated by those of us who have many talents. To them, everyone is supposed to be either one way or another, no gray areas, no in-between. With their logic, if we don’t fit into a predetermined, generic box, there must be something wrong.
So what exactly is the problem with being a Jack of All Trades? The answer is *drum roll please*: n o t h i n g. We were given different skills to use them. We can’t let our talents go to waste. I draw, I paint, I write, I dance, I explore my musical talents. No matter how hard I try, I will never fit in anyone’s view of a normal creative person. And I couldn’t possibly care less.
The next time somebody tells you to stick to a singular talent, tell them, “my creativity transcends all limitations so, why would I settle for being one dimensional?”
Keep making the close-minded uncomfortable, keep challenging the status quo, and, most importantly, keep being dope.