Symposiums and Epiphanies

[John Keeton]

I did my first woodworking as a child - built a footstool in 4-H with my Dad. Though I have little sense of smell, I can smell shellac (the alcohol, I guess) and each time I use shellac, it brings back warm memories of that time. I was probably 10, and I don't recall doing much except sanding!! I suspect Dad did most of the rest. He wasn't a woodworker, but he was a great Dad!:) :) Over the years, I have always done something related to wood, but really I just kind of drifted along - built longrifles, did some simple projects, built some craft projects, finally getting into building furniture.

About 3 years ago, shortly after becoming a member here at the creek, I drifted into hand tools - planes, nice chisels, etc., but still drifting along. I attended a Woodworking In America symposium/convention in Chicago - the first woodworking event I had ever attended in my soon to be 63 years. While there, I had an epiphany.

As a hunter, and more particularly, a bow hunter, I had always advised newcomers to take aim at a particular hair, or dark spot on a deer - ignoring those antlers. Most folks just shoot "at the deer". Humane kills are difficult under those conditions.

During the WIA convention, I suddenly realized the remarkable similarity between building furniture to the concept of aiming at a smaller target. I had built several pieces of furniture, and had always viewed the project as a whole. It became evident that the masters viewed each board, each component, as a separate entity. Each board was jointed, planed and trued. A cabinet door wasn't built as a door, but each rail, each stile was a separate effort.

Now.... to the AAW Symposium - my second woodworking event to attend. And yet, another epiphany! It became apparent that there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of wood turners whose talents exceed mine. And, more importantly, there are countless wood turners that go to demos, watch DVDs, view the works of others - and, then, attempt to turn the same pieces. How many John Jordan "look-alikes" have you seen?

More revealing, however, was the "smack you in the face" realization that I was one of them!! :eek:

I left the symposium with the overwhelming realization that I could no longer turn to please others. I could no longer just turn what I had seen others turn. I must begin reaching deep within myself for inspiration. There were other components of this epiphany that had to do with a self-realization of my goals as a wood turner and how to accomplish those, but sharing those is not the point of this thread.

So, what is the point??:confused:

Both of my epiphanies resulted in dramatic changes in my woodworking. The first was an astounding difference in the quality of my flat work, and I am hopeful the second will result in more interesting woodturnings.

What epiphanies have you had? Care to share them??;) Or, am I the only one that gets hit between the eyes with things like this!?!?!?:o

[Alan Trout]

John,

Very well said, I agree with your perspective 100% There are many turners out there that have better skills than I. I just try to find my own way and do things that I enjoy that are original as possible. If someone likes my stuff along the way that is just more enjoyment that I get out of the process. Inspiration for me is the toughest part of turning. I really look forward to what you come up with as I know your personality and I am sure you will come up with something grand.

Alan

[David E Keller]

I've not been to a national meeting or symposium, so the only turned pieces I've ever viewed have been on this site and others... Perhaps I'm still awaiting my epiphany. I've spent the last 3 years imitating pieces that I've seen elsewhere, but I think there's a point in doing so... Different forms, embellishments, and styles require different skill sets. I consider, in retrospect, most if not all of what I've done up to this point as an apprenticeship of sorts... I've been reproducing and replicating things that others have done, and in the process, I've become more proficient in a number of areas. I'm not sure when or if the apprenticeship will end for me, but I certainly enjoy the process.

It seems as though many in the turning community find a niche where they reside. They find a form or a technique that dominates their work, and many become well known for that particular type of turning. I'm not sure my personality is suited for niche turning... In fact, the variety available in turning is one of the things that originally got me interested. Maybe I am a niche turner, and I've yet to find that thing.. Who knows?

Your description of the cabinet door highlights a common theme in the arts... The least well executed component of a particular piece becomes the basis for that piece. Whether it's the curve, the detailing, or the finish, the least of these will set the bar for a particular turning.

I'm looking forward to seeing what comes from your epiphany... I'm still waiting for mine.

[Nate Davey]

Very insightful and introspective, John. I've found I'm not good enough to copy anyone else, so I make what I like. The advice from others is valuable in refining my finishing or what-not. But if I don't like it I wont turn it. Probably why I will never do this for a business. I've also found, with my ADD such as it is, I can't duplicate pieces. So, you'll probably never look at a piece and say, that is Nates style. Not sure if that is good or bad. Thanks for posting this John.

[Michael James]

Bravo, Mr K! Sounds like you're about to hit your stride. This should be interesting to watch. I agree with David K, only a couple of yrs behind him. I know the direction I want to go in - that remains the same, but everytime I look up it seems someone has a new embellishment or new texture or something I had not seen.
So I keep returning to the simple little HF forms I like, and work on imroving some aspect, and the more I focus the more I like the end result.
I am a hobby turner with a passion for expression. I love wood. I got mediocre grades in art classes because of my 'need" for symmetry. I think I'm in the right place, and right on schedule.........!
Michael

[robert raess]

As an 'old hippy' saved by grace, that was my first Epiphany!My next one was floundering for work in the early 80's after the Plant i was working in went south to Mexico.My ancestors were violin makers, and my Dad was a cabinet maker,carpenter and Remodeler.I had little interest in an of this at the time[tho i did do some carving].When i was out of work my Dad offered to fly me back to Milwaukee to help him on a job.I took a keen interest in the work he did and how he did it.I had never been exposed to his on-site projects.I learned so much so fast,and had a desire to learn and do more.The overall project, of which my Dad and I had a part in went on to win "Project of the Year " award in 'Builders magazine in 1987.I ended my stay in Milw., went back to Az.Along with this, I had a call to do some painting, and the customer said ,"my son messed up our wood floor" can you repair the termite damage and re-sand his errors.Long and short, I found out i was gifted and enjoyed anything about wood floors, and am now in the tail end of that career.The next epiphany, came as I struggled with the knees and back after yrs. of wood floors.At the local comm. college, i thought i'd take a woodworking class in lieu of 'college of the redwoods'[not enough time or money].Well my skill level was far enough along, that i didn't want to take beginning or intermediate...but the college req.'d them before taking the advanced class.So...I thot i'd try woodturning...never having tried it nor what i was getting into.My instructor Brenda Behrens was a God send.She is in the 'masters' book and i think 500 bowls, and has stuff in the smithsonian.I was hooked instantly, and could not get enough.A year later, i'm standing in front of the 'Desert Roundup' Symposium in Mesa Az.,where they had picked 2 of my pc.s from the instant gallery..both in the top 10.Now i'm furiously working on getting my pc.'s in galleries and Etsy etc., etc.It seems this passion fuels my inspiration and imagination, to the point that i have sticky notes, pc.'s of paper, drawings.. all over the place....'Beautiful Mind', 'cept i'm not delusional and still have both ears...thanks for lettin me share. P.S... if this thread runs awhile i will attach the 2 pc.'s picked by the "Instant Gallery"... Thanks Rob

[Scott Hackler]

John,

It's very ironic that you bring this topic to light. I am an admittedly frustrated turner. I am frustrated because I want to find my "niche" or "signature" style. I'm frustrated because I THOUGHT I was progressing rather rapidly until I saw 70% of the work at the instant gallery in St. Paul. I had never been exposed to "gallery" caliber turnings and frankly the trip to St Paul, although really enjoyable, was also a slap in the face....back to reality. I wanted to just pack up my things and take them back to the hotel.

I have mimiced almost every turner's style that I have ever seen and attempt to learn as many techniques and styles as I can. I am a sponge for learning right now and am hoping that the combination of different skills will lead me to my destination and allow me to develop my own recognizable style.

You all have seen some of the strange stuff I have posted. Seems that everytime I step outside of the normal boundries, I am just thowing it against the wall and seeing what sticks! A lot of those pieces are polarizing and it's a love hate between the people who even care to post a reply. It's hard to know if I am on the right track....sometimes. On the "other" site, a tell tale is not getting ANY replies or comments! Shoot I haven't even turned anything of high enough public acceptance to get the "cover". That is a reality check for me. Lots to learn yet.

I envy those turners who have that style that is uniquely thier own and yet still turn new and different creations.

Now I realize that I have only been turning for a couple years now, but I get impatient and so I press myself to do things beyond my current abilities. Some times it works out some times ....not so good. Which makes it difficult to realize that metal image that I create, into a piece of wood art.

Stepping outside the norm is the only way to uniqueness, IMO. I have had an epiphany on a slight addition to a bowl or vessel (pierced wing or fin) just because a lot of people stated "I have never seen anything like that before". Which to me was a good comment to read......or was it! :)

A lot of us are on a similar journey and it is very interesting to see how we each evolve as turners.

[robert raess]

Hey John, something that helped me, was at the local college. In the turning class you had 4 critiques a semester.The students and teacher all weigh in with a measure of grace.I brought in 2 pc.'s to be critiqued, and without going thru the details, she judged them both..then starting playing around with the display..stealing a pedestal off one and mixing it with my other asian pc...as soon as she did that, the light went on, it was so obvious that the elements worked well.Brenda Behrens had an artists eye, and her input was invaluable and helped me immensely with how i 'see and look'.Find someone that's better than you, that you trust..and give them permission to critique your work..you can even give them the caveat that they be kind.
Take away what rings true and positive and build on that.

[robert raess]

Scott,i replied to you but wrote John by mistake..my bad.

[Jim Heikes]

I guess my perspective is somewhat obtuse. I spent many years with exotic hardwoods making many types of furniture and cabinetry, jewelry boxes, music boxes, toy chests, etc. My enjoyment was always making the pieces then giving each piece to friends and relatives. I never even gave a thought to selling anything. That would make it a job. At the same time I never searched for my niche in the woodworking world. My only emphasis was building each piece one board at a time and, at the same time, learning and perfecting as many new techniques as I could learn (e.g. rails and stiles, mortise and tenon, dovetail joints, etc.).

I expect my new ventures in woodturning (6 months) will follow the same path. I never expect to be as skilled as the majority of turners who had pieces in the Instant Gallery in St. Paul. I only want to learn, enhance my skills, create woodturnings that I can be proud of and give to others, and finally,go to bed each night knowing I gave it my best effort.

[Bernie Weishapl]

John thanks. For the first 2 or 3 yrs I tried to turn everything I saw and liked. It came to a point where I didn't like copying these things. I finally realized I would put a piece of wood on the lathe and if it was to be a HF, bowl, mini birdhouse, etc to just let it the wood take me to the finish. It is hard for me to explain but I found I like doing cheese/cracker platters, plates and bowls. I just like making utility items and that will probably become my main focus. I still will turn the occasional pen, mini birdhouses, platters with pyrography and lidded boxes. Guess we will see where this leads me and hopefully have some fun along the way.

[Tim Thiebaut]

I see alot of similarities between a lot of people here and myself. My first wood working was in grade school shop, and its kind of funny, when my mom was leaving Iowa for Arizona 3 years ago after my step father passed my little brother went to help her pack up for the move, while there he found and brought to me if not the first then one of the first things I ever made 40+ years ago....its a bread board in the shape of a pig! LOL....I almost hit the floor when I saw....although it is cracked and showing its age a great deal it is now on my kitchen wall. I built a lot of furniture through the years as well, the biggest pieces being 2 matching '7 tall China Cabinets, one for myself, and the matching one for my best friend and his wife, my daughter is constantly asking for ours....one of these days it will be hers. Over the past couple years I was drawn to turning for several reasons, since I started last Dec one of my main goals is to find my niche....still looking, I try and think about things in nature, cloud formations, trees, greek and japanese vessels and turnings...etc...etc...still looking. But...it has only been 6 months I imagine that with more experience and time eventualy I will find my niche and have my ephany....I hope!

[charlie knighton]

its very hard to be unique, or have unique turnings, but i can try.....to do hf i am influenced by David Ellsworth, to carve on the hollow form John Jordan.....etc.... i do do the Rover series ,shape, finish not the same, but the legs define the Rover, i have seen other supports, but none quite like what i do...... should have a new Rover Wednesday

btw, i wore #13 in highschool, just noticed this was #13 post

[Curt Fuller]

Great, thought provoking thread John. The closest I've come to attending a symposium was a stroll through the instant gallery at the Utah symposium a few years ago. I came away with about the same feeling as John, that I had barely seen the tip of the iceberg in my experiences with the online turning community. There was so much talent, creativity, and craftsmanship in the work in that gallery that I felt like I was walking through the Louvre with my paint by number kit under my arm. But after getting over the initial shock I realized that as beautiful as all that work was, not much of it was anything I was interested in doing myself. I can't really pin down anything that I would consider my own unique style but I can say that what I enjoy most is the wood itself. Most of my wood is something I gather or collect, cut into pieces with no real idea of what it will eventually be, and then store away until I get a chance to work with it. At that point the challenge comes to me to decide what I can turn that will bring out the best in that piece of wood. I'm still focused on that although I don't feel like I hit the mark very often. But the real epiphany came to me a while back when we had the fall Fall 2010 contest here at the Creek. I realized that sometimes, probably more often than not, what I consider some of my best effort at accomplishing my own personal goals will fall way short of impressing most of the other turners. And really, that's how it should be if I'm ever going to be happy with my own work.

[Marc Himes]

John, thanks for your introspective comments. I have been turning frequently for about 6 years since developing space for a shop. It is the only woodworking that I do. My inspiration for turning started with being involved in pottery in high school and college. My father was an architect and taught the same, but was also a painter and latter began turning when he was in his 60's. My mother was a weaver so I have lived around art much of my life. My day job is as a Physician (kidney disease and dialysis) dealing with very sick people. Wood turning provides me with a much needed enrichment for the other side of my life. As such I experience it as not only a great challenge but a great joy. I have been so busy trying new things that I haven't felt the need to develop a style using one form or another. I havn't perfected anything but love to try something new to me. I love wood and unlocking its beauty, but I also love the process of turning, making a good cut with a gouge or creating a pleasing shape. I also love color and texture so I see turnings frequently as a palate to be taken further. I haven't sold many pieces at all but perhaps that will come in the future. I am very fortunate to have an artistic wife that is supportive and excited what I do and willing to be a part of it in her own way. She inspires me and encourages me. Going to the symposiums in Richmond and this year in St. Paul were mind blowing, both with the great variety of pieces shown and even more so with the skill and craftsmanship evident in the work. If I had to measure myself against those very excellent turners ( quite a few being members of this forum) I might get discouraged, but as one of our members very comfortingly said "where we are now is not where we are going to be" Its is a journey, but boy is it fun! Thanks again John and all the rest of you who have responded and shared some of yourselves with the rest of us.

[John Beaver]

"Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal" - Pablo Picasso
"You don't have to be the first, just the best" - Unknown

John, I think if you look at your work objectively you can see a style. Your shapes, your relationship of vessel to finial, the little touch of mimicking the vessel in the finial all say John Keeton to me. I'm also not sure there are thousands of turners, or even hundreds, who are better then you.

One of the problems we encounter is people trying to be different for the sake of being different. Often this leads to work that is different, but not very good. As artists, we all draw from outside influences, and combining those influences is what creates our own style. You mention all the John Jordan look-a-likes, but early Jordan is just a derivative of Ellsworth.

I too am blown away by the different styles in a display like the instant gallery, but if you really break it down, as woodturners we must start with the same basic concept of a round vessel, and that goes back to before the Egyptians. It's very humbling to see the instant gallery, and the fact that you want to push your design to another level is a good thing, but don't get caught up in trying to do something different just for the sake of standing out. You are a very young artist, and I'm sure just by continuing to turn, and study, your style will develop.

Personally, I am constantly playing with ideas, some are just extensions of my current work and some are completely new concepts. I was very fortunate to develop a signature early in my turning career, and while I still have many directions to go with it, I too want to keep pushing and trying new things. Sometimes my influences are the simplest things I encounter, and others are thoroughly studied. Just last night I spent a couple of hours studying two of my favorite artists and applying their styles to some sketches to see what would happen. What is it about these artists that I like? These ideas will now percolate for a while and maybe something good will come out of it and maybe it won't.

I applaud you for wanting to progress, but be patient and give it time and most importantly, KEEP TURNING !!!

[Sean Hughto]

It became apparent that there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of wood turners whose talents exceed mine.

I had a similar epiphany when I started posting phots I took on Flickr. It's humbling, but also encouraging. As you say, it sets you on the course to pleasing yourself ... and trying even harder at that.

[Roger Chandler]

I did not attend the symposium in St. Paul. I have viewed over 400 pics of the gallery there, and there are some truly talented artists, and magnificent work displayed there.

My epiphany is that I have discovered that I do not want to spend 6 or 8 months on a turning. I do not want to turn something, go back and put holes in it until it looks like lace or mesh, and is hardly recognizable as a turning. Part of the issue with me is the time I have available to put into turning wood. It is limited, and while I think some of the things that have been displayed are truly exceptional and unique...........they are not for me.

If I want to spend 6 to 8 months on a project, I would rather it be a beautiful highboy chest, or an ornate grandfather clock. I still love flatwork, and perhaps that might prevent me from being considered an "R-teeest" in the turning community, but if that is the case.........I can accept that! This is where my personal motivations are at present, and they may change in time, but this is a discovery process.............we are all unique.....that is what makes us each special.

[Paul Williams]

There is no question in my mind that there are thousands of turners whose talents exceed mine. I don't have an "artist's eye" and tend to stick with classic shapes or influance from other's. I don't copy anything as an exact copy but enjoy figuring out how something was done and then trying to discover other ways of accomplishing the same thing. I think that has more appeal to me than the actual completion of a turning. Although I need the completion of the turning to prove to myself that my method worked.

Thinking back over the many years that I have been involved with wood as a hobby, I think I learned more that made me successful in my professional life from the attitude and willingness to let me try things out side of the lesson plan of a 7th grade shop teacher than 5 years of electrical engineering education.

[James Combs]

I did not attend the symposium in St. Paul. I have viewed over 400 pics of the gallery there, and there are some truly talented artists, and magnificent work displayed there.

My epiphany is that I have discovered that I do not want to spend 6 or 8 months on a turning. I do not want to turn something, go back and put holes in it until it looks like lace or mesh, and is hardly recognizable as a turning. Part of the issue with me is the time I have available to put into turning wood. It is limited, and while I think some of the things that have been displayed are truly exceptional and unique...........they are not for me.

If I want to spend 6 to 8 months on a project, I would rather it be a beautiful highboy chest, or an ornate grandfather clock. I still love flatwork, and perhaps that might prevent me from being considered an "R-teeest" in the turning community, but if that is the case.........I can accept that! This is where my personal motivations are at present, and they may change in time, but this is a discovery process.............we are all unique.....that is what makes us each special.


After reading the start of this thread my thoughts were leaning real close to what Roger said. If I had though much longer I would have said something very similar. One minor difference is that I don't "want to spend 6 or 8 months on" any project. A big/long project for me would be a month. As an example my current project is building a sixteen inch long 1930ish toy farm truck. It is a mixture of flatwork and turning. I figure it will take me about a month. I will not only done with it but I will be tired of it.:o I am turning all the spoke wheels on it, there is some shaping (like carving) and of course there is flat-work. My only claim to being any type of artist is that my immediate family consider me one but they don't get out much.:rolleyes:;)

[Russell Eaton]

John I have enjoyed this thread. I am guilty of "copy what you see" turning. I enjoy looking at other turners work and I enjoy this craft. I hesitate to call what I do as art, but much of what I see here IS art. I have only been turning for 3 years, and 2 1/2 of that was pens. I would be in the class of beginner at best, but I do enjoy the feedback given on this site. I just try to turn the best that I can with the tools that I have. Like Scott has said, some post get 0 response some get a lot. I am also still looking for the new idea, and have 1 in mind but it will be a while before it will be displayed.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My turning skills are such that to make an exact copy of someone else's work would be a lesson in futility and purely accidental. But beyond that, I think it's nearly impossible for anyone including the masters to claim that anything they do or turn is a completely new concept that has never been done before. Turning is a centuries old craft.

I was once a semi-skilled draftsman. I have never been nor will I ever be an artist that could draw freehand. I have little creative skills and often marvel at the artistic skills of some of the turners here at SMC or even people in other modalities like architect Mark Singer....or Jim Becker and others. I just don't have the ability to artistically envision stuff. Yet, in my profession I could envision 3 dimensional objects, x-ray beams or RF energy patterns or magnetic fields..........so I am less artistically inclined.

If I copied someone's art I would recognize them for the idea or concept but I am not that skilled.

[Kenny Jacobson]

My passion through life has been music. I learned to play guitar at 12 and have been in and out of bands for the past 30 years. I've been writing songs for about as long too. It's never been my profession (I'm a computer programmer), but it's been my creative outlet and I think I've written some goods songs over the years. Something happened about 5 years ago, though, when I got married. Music started losing its magnetic draw. I couldn't write songs like I used to. New bands and new music started losing their appeal. Not to be too corny, but I think my wife and children now have filled a void that music had been filling for so many years (I didn't even know at the time what I was missing).

Despite my diminishing interest in music, I've still felt an overwhelming need to create. I think it's just in my DNA. About 3 years ago I rediscovered wood working (my dad was a Jr. High Shop teacher, so I grew up in a shop). It's been cool to have something else to talk to and collaborate about with my dad. About a year and a half ago my wife (consulting my dad) bought be a Jet mini-lathe for Christmas and a couple books showing the masters of woodturning. Little did she know the monster she was to create ;). I wore out those books, like so many LP's from years ago. David Ellsworth and Bert Marsh have become my new Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin.

One epiphany occurred not too long ago when I got my first bowl gouge and learned to ride the bevel (before I was just using scapers, mostly). As I was riding the bevel, feeling the cleanness of the cut and watched ribbons fly off, I realized how focused my mind and all my senses where in the experience. My first thought was that it reminded me a lot of surfing (another single-life passion of mine). Watching the bowl gouge riding along the surface of the bowl was a lot like watching my board gliding along the face of a wave. It also reminded me of the focus that I feel on a wave, but not only that, it was the same focus or concentration I feel when playing guitar and singing. It's that "lost in another world" feeling.

Another related epiphany was how much the process of creating a turned work was like writing a song or even recording a song. There's the same balance between creating something that is new and yet at the same time familiar to your audience. The balance between planning vs. spontaneity. The idea of the better your technique in recording and playing guitar (shaping your form with the slicing action of gouges), the less you have to "fix in the mix" (scraping and sanding). And also this idea I got from reading David Ellsworth about how in the end the only thing that really matters is the finished product, it doesn't matter how you got to their (gouges vs. scrapers debate).

Like I said, my wife had no idea that woodturning would become such a passion (neither did I for that matter), but she's very happy that I've found it, and is very supportive. And like surfing or playing music, I'm finding "unless you do, you just don't get it." ;)

[Dan Cannon]

My first (and only, so far) epiphany as a new woodworker happened about a year ago when I staggered in the door holding a ridiculously ugly bowl of which I was inexplicably proud, and shouted through my respirator to my wife "holy cow, woodturning is a blast!" Well, I'm still making payments on that epiphany, and can't afford any more right now. So in the meantime, I live vicariously through you guys as you create pieces that continually blow me away. I suspect that this forum will not grow stagnant anytime soon, thanks to moments like yours Mr. Keeton.
Thanks,
Dan

[David DeCristoforo]

The Heart

Something thing that I learned at an early age while deceiving myself that I was a "good" guitar player is that there is always going to be someone who is "better" or "more original" or more whatever. Focusing on being "the best" or even one of the best is a surefire way to destroy not only your enjoyment of whatever it is you are doing but also to destroy your creative process. One of the hardest things to do is to get in touch with your own heart. If you don't know your heart, you will never be able to express it. And if you can't express your heart, you cannot make art no matter how technically perfect your efforts are. I guess it's a question of being the best that you can be and not worrying about how that compares with others. Even if you do get in touch with your heart and express it through your work, there is no guarantee that others will like it. I have seen many pieces that I thought were original and unique and certainly finely made that I simply did not like.

The Wheel

Somewhere along the line, someone invented the wheel. But it was not really of much use until someone put two of them on an axle. Someone else had the idea of taking two of these and building a cart on top of them. And on it went. Contrary to popular belief, David Ellsworth was not the first guy to make a hollowed out wooden vessel. Finials were widely used in furniture and architecture long before Cindy Drozda started making them. Ellsworth and Drozda are two people who followed their hearts, not really being too concerned with what others were doing. But neither of them really "invented"the fundamental elements of their "signature" work. They just had a vision of how to use these elements in a unique way.

The Epiphany

I have had an epiphany of sorts myself. I have been spending far too much time posting on internet forums and far too little time actually turning! We own a family operated small business and, as anyone who is sentient is aware, these are not generous times for small business. So the time I have available to devote to turning is very limited and I have been spending at least half of it reading and posting on forums. I have also been neglecting my web site, not getting it updated or adding my new pieces, mostly because that time has been spent on the forums as well. I would love to start selling some pieces and that means time spent developing outlets, advertising and "getting myself out there". That is not happening either.

There is a great feeling of camaraderie on these forums and it is great to have people to bounce ideas off of and to give and get "feedback" on the latest piece. But this has had, at least for me, an almost addictive quality that ends up with my focus being pulled away from the work and into talking about the work. Not good!

So I have made a "New Year's Resolution" smack dab in the middle of the year. I will be spending a lot less time posting and a lot more time actually making things. I cannot imagine not having the good folks on this forum to talk to and exchange ideas with. But I am just going to have to impose some "rationing".

[Bob Rotche]

Fascinating thread. Thanks for starting it John. I consider myself an intermediate turner but still am very much in the mode of trying to learn from the masters. I don't feel bad or guilty about it. I'm not selling others ideas and calling them my own. Artists have always learned by copying experts in the field with the hope of eventually attaining some level of proficiency. My hope is that as I develop my technical skills and try different styles, that my inner voice will come through. Clearly, John, your technical skills are there and I believe that you do have a personal style. Trying to expand one's boundaries is always a good thing as an artist and personal styles evolve over time. Watching that happen is one of the more interesting things about this forum and why I keep coming back to it day after day.