We often hear about "signature style". Among turners, signature style seems to be something of a "holy grail". Turners seem to want their work to be immediately recognizable as theirs. Many turners produce pieces that are more or less "the same". More often than not, these pieces are not "the same" but "similar", based on a concept, shape or combination of elements that become a "signature". You could look at Doug Fisher's sculptural platters or the hollow forms done by Andy DiPetro or Joe Landon or the cast pieces that are instantly recognized as the work of Allen Trout. It's not often that a Keith Burns piece goes unrecognized as his and the list goes on and on.
It is seeming to me that this may be either a blessing or a curse, depending, of course, as is the case with many things, on one's perspective. So I would like to ask: Where does "signature style" morph from a "groove" to a "rut"? At what point does the exploration into the variations a particular form offers become a stagnant pool?
Obviously this is going to vary wildly from one person to another. And it might be obvious why I pose this question at this particular point. But the answers might make for interesting reading on a quiet Sunday afternoon.