There is art is in finding both what makes your chosen branch unique and how it is connected to the main artistic trunk.
I work in vocal jazz – a niche of a niche if I ever saw one. It’s a sub-genre of non-classical choral music, connected to about a half-dozen other sub-genres. And in my early work in the discipline, I was most focused on learning the minutiae of what makes that niche unique. How to sound idiomatic? What are the pitfalls? How can I contribute to the art form?
As I have proceeded further in my work, I am much more interested in the connections. How did this art form grow out of older forms? How can I make connections to other traditions? Can my knowledge of my niche contribute to work outside of it? Can I connect with creators outside of my discipline? How can my work strengthen the underlying connections to the artistic trunk?