A Subject Matter Expert (and Why Do We Need Them?)

There’s a saying that one must work 10,000 hours in any one thing in order to master it. Does one have to go through a similar amount of work in order to be considered an expert? Is an expert higher or lower than a master? Does it really matter? My real question is probably this: if your industry has an expert, do you embrace their expertise or do you defy it in order to become your own type of expert? Well, here’s your answer.

Yes. Yes to both.

I like to think that the industry experts, like most things in the world, are there for a reason. Sister Mary Corita Kent, a pop artist from the 60’s, created the Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules. Rule 2 is to “pull everything out of your teacher and to pull everything out of your fellow students.” Be a sponge, learn everything about your art from anyone who knows anything more than you. That’s the best way to grow

And then she immediately says to get everything you can out of your students. And maybe being an expert is learning everything you can from everyone all the time and just creating art. And honestly, I think that’s just what being an artist should be.