The Elusive Voice

Submitting your work to a juried show can be stressful, or at least leave you feeling anxious and nervous about the outcome. Am I good enough, will the jurors like my work, how will I feel if I'm not approved? I've submitted to several juried shows and have been accepted and turned down! After submitting to a recent show, which I did get in, I received a score and comments from the judges of the show. All the comments were great...except one. That one addressed my need to work on my "unique style". I'm sure the judge was trying to be helpful and supporting, but still a hard pill to swallow. While I try very hard not to copy, and I think my work is unique, it has given me a lot of thought about style. How important is it to you? Lots of people say, "just do what you love!". Others feel it is very important. And what exactly is a style? I think it's a common thread that resonates in the work. A pattern of work that's recognizable. This article came to me on Facebook...you know, sometimes these things pop up, when you really need them! How to Find Your Unique Voice and Style. By Sean McCabe and Ben Toalson. This is a great article for artists and business people alike. They also have several other pertinent articles including How to Be Inspired without Copying. This is one of my favorite lines and really pertains to bead makers. "If you only have one source of inspiration you are naturally going to imitate them." I have subscribed to the podcasts from these young men and look forward to seeing what they have to say in the future. Meanwhile...here's some eye candy!