I guess its the same as painting. Here is a picture of a face - can you do something with it that makes it fresh.
Chord sequences are only a part of the deal. The arrangement, timbres, vioces, melody, rhythm etc etc will all conspire to create a whole that is greater thatn the sum of it's parts. THAT is the Art of it. Being original is, in some ways, easier than sounding fresh using old material.