Do We Need to Chase a ‘Style’...
So often when new students come to a workshop or retreat, they’ll tell me “I’d love to find my style.” or they feel that “...to be a proper artist I need to have a style.” I can understand where this comes from, but honestly, I’m not convinced this idea is as helpful as people may think.
We’re all aware that we now live in a world where we’re constantly surrounded by amazing online posts showing artwork that looks wonderful and consistent in its appearance. So, it’s easy to assume that having a recognisable style is something we must aspire to, something we must chase, and pin down early in our practice...and yes, I agree, there are situations where having a style as such, has benefits...some collectors for instance, often enjoy the familiarity of a particular artists work, and galleries can find it easier to represent an artist with a cohesive look.
But for me style is not something I worry about or chase. I would much rather allow my work to evolve naturally, and represent what I’m enjoying at the time...even if that means I lose some popularity when my artwork changes. I’d much rather stay true to myself and produce work I enjoy, than create pieces just to fit in, and that satisfy the needs of others before my own. That’s not meant to be disrespectful in any way, its just that first and foremost I believe we should be creating art for ourselves, we should be the ones pleased with the end result, and if someone else happens to like it too, then that’s a bonus.
The Trouble With Feeling We Need To Have a ‘Style’...
For some people, having a style may feel like an achievement, a pinnacle to reach, a belonging, like finally finding their artistic identity...and yes, it can be helpful when people recognise your work, there’s nothing wrong with that.
But what happens when you become bored with this style you’ve worked so hard to achieve? Suddenly the thing that once defined you could start to feel restrictive. To me, creativity needs curiosity and space to breathe, not a tight framework to conform to.
When striving to create a style becomes your focus, something to hunt for, or force into existence, it can quickly become limiting, and we can unintentionally box ourselves in.
If we decide that our work must always look a certain way, we may deny ourselves the gift of exploration. We could miss out on opportunities to discover a new material we suddenly love, a new subject that excites us, or a different technique that opens new creative doors...and that would be such a shame.
For Me Authenticity Matters Far More...
Rather than trying to produce similar work all the time, a visual brand if you like, I think it’s far more valuable to develop your authenticity with it. Creating work that feels right for you, will allow your art to reflect your own curiosity and what you’re interested in right now. Give yourself permission to change, to let yourself wander and experiment...rather than be producing work that’s expected of you.
When you follow what genuinely interests you, your creative traits emerge naturally, without being forced, and without boxing yourself in, your work will become more honest, and more ‘you’.
The Freedom to Change...Allow Yourself to Evolve
People change, our tastes alter, our inspirations wander from one thing to another, so why shouldn’t our artwork change as well, surely it shouldn’t stay frozen in one place, in one style. Art is a journey, and no good journey stays in the same place for long without becoming stagnant.
If we learn something new, shouldn’t we be allowed to try it, play with new ideas. If we feel drawn to a different subject, wouldn’t it be fun to explore it. If we fall in love with a new material, how exciting would it be to follow that thread for a while, see what we can do with it, using the knowledge and experience we have at that time.
This shouldn’t be seen as disregarding our style, but more about allowing our work to be alive, curious, and ever-developing...surely that’s the goal we should be reaching for.
Focus on the Process...Let Your Creative Traits Find You...
Both in my own practice and in my teaching, I don’t aim or encourage people to develop a ‘style’...For me, it’s not a goal worth pursuing, I’d much rather we develop our creative traits through playing and having a greater awareness of ourselves, exploring the things that mean something to us at the time of creation, being aware of such things like:
our preferences, what do we like at the moment, what doesn’t appeal
our history, our experiences so far, what knowledge and skills do we have right now
our interests, things that are inspiring us at the moment, making us stop and look
our actions, our hand movements, what marks are we enjoying, with what tools
the materials we are enjoying right now, what excites us
the colours we are gravitating towards at the moment, is it seasonal or emotive
We slowly uncover our personal creative traits simply by doing, they emerge naturally... and over time there may be certain core attributes that become recognisable as you.
You may find people say you have a way with colour, that they love the marks you make, or that your compositions are striking, but don’t let this root you into producing more of the same if you feel the need to move forward with other ideas, other colours, other marks. Follow the threads of what interests you, what excites you...who knows what else you can create, something bigger and better could be just around the corner.
It’s Just my Opinion...
No doubt some of you reading this will disagree and insist that artists need a recognisable style to be taken seriously, especially by galleries or collectors, and I understand and appreciate that viewpoint, it’s part of the traditional structure of the art world and a way to achieve more sales.
But for me personally, I don’t want to restrict my creativity, I know I would become bored doing the same thing, using the same materials all the time. Nothing is more energising than seeing something new that excites me...a new colour combination, a new technique or material being used in a different way...stretching my abilities with new subjects.
Our creativity deserves the freedom to breathe, so why not let your curiosity guide you... let your hands learn through doing, through experimenting. If you’re playing, learning, trying new things, and making art that feels fun and authentic to you, then you’re already exactly where you need to be..there’s no need to chase a style.
A Gentle Invitation
If this resonates with you, you might enjoy my monthly newsletter where I share more Studio Notes like this...and if you’re beginning to recognise the threads of your own creative traits developing, and would like some friendly help and guidance to explore them further, you’re always welcome at my workshops and retreats.