What Would You Say You Do?

What do you do?”

It’s a simple question. But I still don’t have a good answer.

“Stonework,” I usually say, though that tends to need clarification. “You know, building stone walls and patios, and stuff like that.” If I’m feeling daring , I might add, “I like the creative side of it.” But what does that even mean?

I think we assume people are privy to our private thoughts, our hopes, and our dreams. That when I say I do stonework, it’s obvious that I don’t just mean walls and patios. That I want to create amazing things with stone. That I want to take the techniques of an ancient craft passed down through millennia and push them forward with a creative twist. That I aspire to create pieces that are timeless and awe-inspiring, aiming to transcend from craftsman to artist.

But in reality, no one knows the secret longings in our hearts unless we show them.

That starts with describing what we do.

It’s scary to show the world who you are and what you want, so we wait. Until we’re more established. Until it feels safe. But you don’t have to win an Academy Award to call yourself an actor. You don’t have to have your work hanging at the Met to call yourself an artist. You don’t need permission to be what you already are.

I’m still working on how to describe what I do, my elevator pitch, if you like. I’d love to hear how you describe your own work. Share your ‘elevator pitch’ in the comments below!