Thatโs the thing you have to understand about the whole process of art (or the work that we do) โ youโre only half of the equation. Itโs an interaction between you and the person whoโs going to experience the work. The person whoโs going to experience the work is bringing just as much to it and is just as important as you are.
Austin KleonArt is theftโ) and Igor Stravinsky (โLesser artists borrow, great artists stealโ), Iโve always stolen from the people I admire โ not plagiarized, mind you, but stolen bits of ideas and stylistic influences. If you steal widely enough, after all, your models are inevitably changed and the result is in the end completely yours. Kleon cites Andrรฉ Gide to this point, in a quotation I love: โEverything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.
Austin Kleon