I received this video clip from photographer Chase Jarvis and my friend Frank Russell, owner of Indy Lab Designs, at the same time when dealing with a couple of frustrating days.

“Sometimes in our industry, our professionalism, we get [put into] silos…it should be all of our goals to break out of those silos. The more you work, the more people want to put you in a silo so they can define who you are by their terms. Our job is to never let anyone define who we are…”

John Jay–W+K’s Global Executive Creative Director–on creativity and breaking out of silos.

It is one of my biggest challenges to break out of the perception people put on us.  I find kind of like looking at art. People suffer over meaning and thoughts of the artist behind what we have done, but the viewer doesn’t really ever know so the pigeon hole the artist.  I also have found what people say about art photography is really about them and their experience which in some ways is what art should be about.

Maybe my father said it best.

“It seems every encounter we have with people, particularly the new acquaintances, they are looking to put you in a category.  I’ve always enjoy not fitting into a category.  The mystery leaves when you are put into the round or square hole that people think you belong.”