I’m excited to announce that I wil be starting a new series of free live…
Tivoli Bays, Hudson Valley
I have gathered a posy of other men’s flowers, and nothing but the thread that binds them is mine own.- Montiagne
There’s a lot of focus today in making “original” images, but is that really the path towards developing a personal style? Perhaps a better way is simply to steal, in the most benevolent way, from others who inspire us until our own voice emerges.
After all, isn’t this the way most if not all great artists became innovators in their respective creative pursuits? Theres’s no shame in imitation, except when it becomes a means to an end. At it’s best, it will help you to see how to be different, and more importantly why.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your thoughts…I very much relate to the tension between learning from others, which to a point, is imitation, and yet remaining faithful to my vision, to be myself! Yet, where there is shared aspiration, shared goals, sometimes the line can be rather blurred. I find in those cases, maybe it’s more about perhaps “doing the same sort of thing”, but in my setting, in my location, where I am inspired. I’m not sure what else to do with that, but I sure don’t want to “be an imitator”. There’s no joy and fulfillment in that! Thanks as always.
Hillel