As an artist, as a creative, there is only one direction you can take.
Artists break norms. Artists don’t merely change colours, or change the clothes on the doll, or rename a creation. That’s just tweaking.
Artistry breaks down understanding and re-present it in an entirely new fashion that makes you think. Artistry opens eyes and leaves one so transfixed they’re left silent trying to understand. To further raise the bar, art does this timelessly, and holds true throughout the ages.
Without a doubt, most all artists are influenced. The great English poets would mingle in the same circles as the Impressionists in the Parisian salons where it is said the great poetic works had as much paint on them as the canvases did.
Influence is good. Regurgitating influence is bad. Digesting influence is good.
Breaking the norm is sealing a wedding with an epic handshake instead of a kiss. Breaking the norm is exploring the uncomfortable, the fear.
Otherwise, we’re not creating art, we’re just producing work.