Word of the Week: Signature



In one of my artsy groups we like to post a word to write about on our blogs. Well, this week, I'm the one who suggested the word, and I'm very late getting to it. But I have been thinking about it.

Most times when we hear the word "signature" we think about when someone signs their name. It's a way of making a statement - "I stand behind this." We sign checks, wills, documents, permission slips, etc. It's interesting when it comes to works of art. I used to have a hard time signing my paintings for a very practical reason - I couldn't do it very well with a paintbrush.

The word signature is sometimes used in the phrase "signature style". Which brings me to Izannah Walker dolls. You knew I'd get there, right? Many artists' works you can recognize even if they don't sign them - Jackson Pollack, Picasso, Izannah Walker. This past week I was able to take some awesome pictures of the construction details of an Izannah Walker doll. I'm so thankful for the shop owner who undressed the doll very carefully and let me click away. I've put those pictures on my Picturetrail album (the link is at the top right) to share with other dollmakers. Izannah has a signature style - her dolls have a timeless, wonderful feeling to them.

I, on the other hand, am merrily trying all kinds of styles and mediums. I'm not there yet. And that's okay. But I am signing my works now.

1 comment:

MaryAnn said...

Thanks for sharing this and the doll photos. I like everyone else am entranced by these dolls and trying to reproduce them without loosing the charm but inserting our on "signature" or personality into them. Of course I rate you as the expert.


"Do not let what you cannot do
keep you from doing what you can do."

John Wooden