Creating Work That Feels Like You

One of the things I hear most often in the studio is:

“I don’t know what my style is.”

And my answer is always the same… you already have one.

It just hasn’t had the space to come through yet.

For many of us, learning textiles starts with following instructions. Step-by-step projects, kits, patterns, all useful, all important. They build confidence, teach techniques, and give us a place to begin.

But at some point, something shifts.

You start to want more than just finishing a piece… you want it to feel like yours.

That’s where developing your own style begins.

Your style isn’t something you go out and find.

It’s something that reveals itself over time.

It shows up in the colours you’re drawn to again and again.
The textures you can’t resist touching.
The marks you make without thinking.
The subjects that keep pulling you back.

And often, it appears quietly,  in between the “proper” work.

The challenge is that traditional workshops don’t always leave room for that.

When everyone is making the same piece, following the same steps, using the same materials… it’s very easy to lose that sense of individuality.

You might finish something beautiful, but it doesn’t always feel like you made it.

And that can be frustrating, even if you can’t quite put your finger on why.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently.

How do we move from teaching techniques… to supporting creativity?

How do we give people the confidence to make their own decisions, rather than looking for the “right” way to do something?

Because the truth is, there isn’t one.

What I’m beginning to build here at the studio is a slightly different approach.

Yes, you’ll still learn techniques.
Yes, there will still be guidance.

But instead of working towards one finished outcome, the focus will be on exploration.

You might start with a prompt, a theme, or a material, but from there, the direction is yours.

You’ll be encouraged to change things.
To take a risk.
To follow an idea even if you’re not sure where it’s going.

Because that’s exactly how a personal style develops.

We’re also introducing a new way of working through a short series of workshops.

Rather than creating a single piece in one session, you’ll build a body of work over time — starting with mixed media, developing through stitch, and finishing with hand embellishment.

Working this way gives you something really valuable…

Time.

Time to reflect.
Time to notice what you’re enjoying.
Time to make decisions that aren’t rushed.

And that’s often when your style begins to show itself most clearly.

There’s no right or wrong style.

Some people love detail, others prefer simplicity.
Some work intuitively, others like structure.
Some return to the same themes again and again.

All of it is valid.

All of it is yours.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about your work, or found yourself comparing it to others, you’re not alone.

But the more you allow yourself to explore, the more confident you become in your own choices.

And that’s where things really start to change.

This is just the beginning of a new direction for workshops at Eau Brink Studio, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where it leads, not just for me, but for everyone who walks through the door.

Because the most interesting work is never the one that follows the rules.

It’s the one that breaks them… just a little.