The Word Formerly Known as Style

So...we can agree that style is not the best word choice, that whatever an artist creates by virtue of his creating it exhibits his unique touch, that artifice is a negative and that style shouldn't be a limiting word but merely a descriptive word much like voice or freedom...

...that some people can identify an artist by their work, that some people like this, that  other people relish the freedom to change mediums and implements and don't always see that their uniqueness carries through while others might see it, that formula painting is not any different than plot formulas in pulp fiction and is equally reviled...

I don't know, but it seems logical to me that the minute you put implement to surface to create a mark you are exhibiting the word formerly known as style. I also can't see how anyone can avoid this any more than they can avoid writing the letters in their name when they sign their signature on the back of their commission checks.

I  should clarify that as an artist develops, this voice develops strength and is more or less a measuring idea that an artist should be experienced enough in the craft to have a voice before venturing out into the world. So I find myself sincerely puzzled by -- while being totally grateful for -- the uproar that this discussion is generating...including all the spin-off blog postings linking back to the original post...and I am also grateful that no one has tarred and feathered me yet...

 I'm starting to think that this is fueled by an argument much deeper than the word formerly known as style, and I'm not really sure what that is, exactly...

Any ideas?

A new experiment with my word-formerly-known-as-style where I attempted to paint three apples, arranging one apple in front and two apples beneath an upturned bowl, which of course ended up looking like a green pickle on top of the apples.  So sometimes my voice is speaking in a foreign tongue which I obviously can't understand. 

However, I am hopeful that if I persevere something will come of it.  In fact, I'm considering renaming this painting Apples with Green Pickle.  Maybe I'll post it to ebay...under an assumed name...

Comments

[Susie Monday]

Synchronistically, serendipitally, I have been blogging the last couple of times about this very "style" voice idea. To me there are three parts: honoring your unique qualities of perception in your work, finding and exploring meaningful content or themes (be they subject or formal), and third, mastery and exploration of media/material and the craft therein.

[Melody]

Oh Ancient Artist,

Funny I should find you today, my 55th birthday. Gateway to Senior Citizenship. I do agree that each artist's work is evidence of their individuality. It can be called style or any other label that we fancy. No one seems to concern themselves with how handwriting differs, so why any other form of expression? Anyway, I find that, as I age, none of it is of much import. I just keep painting with abandon, with or without style, collectors, or audience. It doesn't matter; it's what I came here to do and one thing for sure~ I have only so much time left.

Love your blog.

[Donald Diddams]

I really like the word and concept of "voice".

Voice is a word writers understand well. There is no reason not to apply it to the visual arts, and for me it is a more substantive characteristic than "style".

[TracyW]

I have always seen an artist's "style" as something recognized after a significant body of work has been completed.

As one looking back to identify my own visual voice, there seems to be such a broad range (maybe that's why I'm forever emerging). I've also noticed that when I try to create new in the style of old (like for a series), I have a harder time with it and can't help but see growth and changes between first and last.

I seem to do best to just create, then plunk it down on the continuum of "my style".

[vicki ross]

have painted a few pickles in my time, too. I kinda like pickles...and rabbits that run behind a tree that don't come out...splashes of sunshine that don't glow on both sides of the tree...worms that appear in landscapes (where the tree line goes up and down consistently...the forest where the trees grow the same distance apart...

[AscenderRisesAbove]

Lately I am thinking it could be one style - per medium. Put them all together it is called versatile... aka "versa-style"?

[Katherine]

Hmmm - how does all of this fit with notion of
- "painting in the style of....(name a famous artist)"?
- "after the style of (another famous artist)"?

I agree that 'signature style' might correctly be used to describe something that exists - work already produced. However once one has found one's own "signature style" surely that means that the production of any future work must be a conscious decision between continuing to work in your own style and developing in a different direction. Surely at that point, such decision-making - if conscious - relates to a conceptual perspective about 'who you are' or 'how you paint'?

I think the issue about how Martin interprets the word 'style' may well relate to the word having been hijacked by the fashionistas and the decorating mafia. Just because some other group uses it doesn't mean that it loses the meaning it's always had.

For the record - and I find it always pays to look at definitions - here's the Chambers Dictionary on style
http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=style&title=21st&sourceid=Mozilla-search

"style noun 1 a manner or way of doing something, eg writing, speaking, painting, designing buildings, etc. 2 a distinctive manner that characterizes a particular author, painter, film-maker, etc. 3 kind; type; make. 4 a striking quality, often elegance or lavishness, that is considered desirable or admirable • She dresses with style. 5 the state of being fashionable • gone out of style. 6 stylus (sense 2). 7 bot in flowers: the part of the carpel, which is usually elongated, that connects the stigma to the ovary (noun 2). 8 in compounds, forming adjectives and adverbs • American-style fast food joints • doggy-style. verb (styled, styling) 1 to design, shape, groom, etc something in a particular way. 2 to name or designate someone • styled himself an expert.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Latin stilus writing tool or literary style."

Sue - I'm not loving the increased font size. It makes commenting a bit more difficult (when are the blogging people going to get rid of these tiny windows?!)

[Martin]

I think one can get a lot out of these considerations no matter what your present position regarding style is.

It is obvious that my understanding of (signature)stlye is a limited one, narrowed down to a more or less virtous set of tricks in order to repeat sales. i.e. a merely sales targeted habit.

"You paint/draw what you are" I read somewhere. That is what I want to do. This could be defined as style too, but this is always a way to LOOK BACK at your work and not a concept for creating something.