Explain Yourself!

I am still juggling thoughts around in my head about explaining my work to others. I found that I hadn't really gone deep enough with my questions and I didn't gain as much as I had hoped from the exerciseI attempted in my last post. Also I noticed I was slightly agitated and unsettled by the whole idea of fully explaining myself? 


While feeling like I was lost at sea, which is often the case when you haven't been taught how to do these sort of things, I turned to author Eric Maisel once again. In his book titled "The Creativity Book - a years worth of inspiration and guidance" there is a chapter towards the end "Be Truthful - Explain Yourself" and so I dived into it to find my bearings again. 
Sometimes finding the truth is like going from darkness to light and having to pass through numerous locked gates that need keys.


Following is the list of questions I have been working through this week which have led me to enquire more realistically my reasons for creating my current work.The questions can be applied to any of the creative fields, to help you see your works strengths and weaknesses, keep you focussed and help you know whether your work is on the right track or a wrong one.

Gates inside Fremantle Prison 

What is my current creative project about?

What had the initial impetus been?

What theme am I pursuing?

What do I intend to say?

What difficulties am I encountering?

How does it fit in to my overall body of work?

How does it relate to my previous work?

What is the essence of the work?

What is my field and tradition?

Wow! These questions are just what I needed to get me thinking! Although my creative work must  speak for itself, I have the power, and often very good reasons, to explain the work to myself and to others. So I need to practice.  When I become accomplished at explaining myself, I can do a better job of interesting others in my work and of maintaining my own interest! 

Enneagram 3 by J Pfeiffer 2012