From an interview from choreographer Alonzo King:

Whatever is done requires technique. There is nothing that doesn’t use technique. How we utilize eating utensils whether they be fingers, chopsticks or forks are techniques. There are also techniques that facilitate the heart’s expansion. The piano doesn’t play itself, the home doesn’t build itself, Technique and will power are inextricably linked. The archer has the the bull’s eye as his aim, and his sole concern is accuracy. Accuracy becomes your expression. Artists are concerned with the communication of ideas, and that those ideas be accurate and clearly expressed. There are still some circles of thought which seem to think that artists are involved in indulgent self expression. This is not the case. Most artists are looking for the definitive choice, the choice where the viewer upon seeing it will realize, there could have been no other choice, this is it. Self expression is dangerously close to likes and dislikes, and emotional excretions. What you want to do and what you should do can be miles apart. It is a wonderful thing to see them integrated, where there is no conflict.

Emphasis mine because it blew my mind. Obviously he is speaking about dance & choreography but I think this concept can be applied to other things – sometimes I worry that I’m just whining in mixed media without actually saying anything. But how can I tell if I’m expressing myself or just making something based on likes/dislikes? I guess that has to do with the “definitive choice” – rather than just making stuff that is cool, you create what must be to communicate your idea. I think? I don’t know, I’m still rolling it around in my brains. I just thought it was interesting enough to share (but I may be wrong )

(dang it’s been a while!)