Collaboration

Words & Photography

by AJ Fernando

As an only child, you learn to depend on yourself first and foremost. Then as an artist, you tend to focus on your own individual self-expression. There's this "my [creative] ideas are unique and no one can tap into them but me" kind of mindset that you leverage from every corner. You end up preferring to work alone because you think you are better off alone.

...collaborating with others might just be the best thing you can do to your art and to yourself.

Although that is certainly possible, I believe we are all highly capable of execution, collaborating with others might just be the best thing you can do to your art and to yourself. You don't just get to bring your ideas to life, but you get to see other areas that you wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

Once you accept that you have weaknesses/limitations and let in other perspectives/strengths, you actually get to deliver so much more. Because you are not just collaborating ideas but you are collaborating and encouraging growth. More importantly, you get to share that experience with each other, learning and growing together.