You don't have to know anything about a subject as long as you use common sense and imagination, plus enthusiasm! I use all periods of design in my work, for, after all, decorative styles are simply indications of a manner of living.
Interpretation
Creativity and common sense are more important than expertise in design.
Dorothy Draper emphasizes that enthusiasm, common sense, and imagination can be more valuable than technical knowledge when it comes to design. She believes that decorative styles are simply reflections of one's lifestyle, suggesting that the essence of design lies in how it resonates with everyday life rather than just adhering to strict rules or theories.
In practice
In a workshop on creative thinking, I would use this quote to inspire participants to trust their instincts.
Have you ever stopped to think what fun this business of living can be? If you haven't, and if you are one of those who insist upon believing that life is humdrum, grim and boring, then I'm afraid this department is not for you. For I don't believe any such thing. I know that we can all free ourselves and live our lives fully, zestfully and joyfully!
You don't sell a commodity, you sell joy, gaiety, excitement. You aim at people's hearts, not their minds.
To be an artist, you need to exist in a world of silence.
Every natural action is graceful.
Some might think that the creativity, imagination, and flights of fancy that give my life meaning are insanity.
A lot of children don't have a developed aesthetic. I did. I made early choices in life, even about cloth; I liked flannel and not polyester.
Meeting authors is kind of the death of the characters. That is always heartbreaking.
It is always fatal to have music or poetry interrupted.
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