About this talk

As creatives we strive for some form of success — some mountaintop, goal, or recognition. So what happens when we finally reach the thing we’ve been aiming for? After a lifetime of experimentation, artist Joshua Davis found his growth slowing after receiving high-level acknowledgment for his work. “I got lazy, I got comfortable, and I produced less,” he says.

Stagnant and absent of the fear that fueled his creativity, he embarked on a multi-year journey to make himself uncomfortable: switching tools, methods, and collaborators. Along the way, he discovered the pitfalls of the known and the importance of play and fear in the creative process.