Collaboration is Key

Dear human being on the other end of this screen,

Did you know that you are a creator? YES! You. By the simple fact that you are a living, breathing Homo Sapien, you are a natural born maker of things.

Maybe you don’t identify as a musician or a painter or a chef. Maybe you take on another title. But, by design, it is your destiny to create in one way, shape or form. If, like me, you proudly identify as an artist or creative disciple of any kind, it’s rather easy to find yourself stuck in your own world. You might know what it’s like to be blindly bashing your brain cage against the walls of your universe, trying to break through to the next frontier - with only yourself to turn to for ideas, inspiration and support.

If you’re both of these things or somewhere in between, thank you for sharing this planet with me. Without you, the Earth would be a dull, grey, lonely place with no one to relate to on truly deep levels. Imagine a world without other beings. Imagine a world without the ability to make things. Horrible, isn’t it? I wouldn’t wish that reality on even the most hurtful of humans. Just the pure fact that you are able to read this, makes it worth doing. However, as much as I would love to speak your praises for a couple more hundred words, I would like to drive something home by the end of this read, that hopefully inspires you to new ideas or trains of thought.

Now that we’ve established the importance of making things from nothing as a species, as well as the importance of having people to share this planet with, let’s get to the topic at hand - collaboration. This buzz word seems so obvious in the world of artistic expression. However, in my personal experience, collaboration is one of the most powerful ideas in the existence of creation. You might be thinking,

“The most powerful? That’s bold…”

Yes! The most powerful. I’m tempted to type it out again.

Collaboration is more than just a word thrown around by creators. It’s one of the greatest ways to cushion the blows of your creative dome-bashing experience, while trying to break through the walls of your personal universe. In fact, by nature, collaboration induces breakthroughs by allowing someone else’s universe to collide with your own. Oh, and don’t the most beautiful things happen when worlds collide? Who knows what next big bang might come from working with another artist?

When you co-create, it forces you to think in different ways, it pulls you out of your little black hole and it inspires the all-encompassing beauty that is creation. You now have a second, really powerful bio-computer to bounce ideas off of. You can get feedback in real time, you can share processes and inevitably, you learn a lot, extremely quickly. You make a new friend, you share concepts and you work towards a common goal. You begin to create something that is bigger than yourself and your own little universe. It’s a special thing.

Imagine being able to ask someone, in real time,

“What do you think of this?”

Or,

“How do we feel about this particular aspect?”

And my favourite,

“Would you be able to take on task X, while I take on task Y?”

There is something magically magnificent about having a teammate. There is something truly phenomenal about joint efforts. Not only do you get to push your personal boundaries, but you get to see the world from another perspective. Imagine how deep a perspective you can find in the creative mind of another individual. Their imagination brought into your periphery and yours into theirs. Can you fathom the depth and beauty of seeing another being’s inner world? Wow!!! My heart sings at the thought. True connection in this state is inevitable. The wonderful things that manifest from such a place can only be fantastical. 

Most importantly of all - you get a shared product. You both get something out of it. Something that you and your collaborator can use in all the weird and wonderful ways you decide. You get to share peer groups and fans who would otherwise not know of each other at all. Two beautiful echo chambers coming together to potentially create meaningful connections on a larger scale than just your own. Yes, collaboration is one of the most powerful ideas in the existence of creation ;)

While I deeply believe in solo work for the sake of getting to know our inner-beings on a greater level, nothing quite beats co-creation. So, I urge you. Please reach out! Reach out to people you know, people you don’t know. Without expectations. Make something with someone else. Make anything with anyone else that even slightly aligns with you and your art. Heck, do something completely wild and absurdly out of touch with what you’re used to. I promise you that you will learn enough to carry you through future projects. You will walk away feeling ready to take on your solo creations with confidence, and hey, you may even walk away with a new friend that you trust for reviews and honest feedback.

Go on then! Go on and make pretty things and wonderful connections, you beautiful being.

Have a project you’re looking for help with? Or looking for a potential collaborator? Feel free to send me an email. I’m sure you can tell I love making things with people. Even if you don’t make music, we can make stuff together.

Just pop me an email: jump.jeronimoh@gmail.com