Obviously, a very loaded topic. I see a lot of people having comments about style biting although it doesn't seem like everyone has the same definition or idea of what it means to bite a style. So in the interest of a truly philosophical discussion, we begin with our Terms and Definitions, as brought by Dictionary.com using the definitions most applicable to glass.

Style- N. a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character.

Concept- N. an idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; a construct.

Technique- N. 1. the manner and ability with which an artist, writer, dancer, athlete, or the like employs the technical skills of a particular art or field of endeavor.
2. the body of specialized procedures and methods used in any specific field, especially in an area of applied science.

Design- N. organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art; composition.

Normally I would include Principle as well, but I'll omit that one for brevity's sake. Ironic, huh? Style is an incredible thing. As artists, one's style essentially defines our professional identity. I believe art is an inherently introspective thing, so when we create something, we literally put a piece of ourselves into that thing. But once a piece of art exists outside ourselves, it is it's own object, having it's own identity and therefore affects it's creator in turn. Being introspective, I take this as an opportunity to reflect on how this new object affects my person, my experience; I made this thing, what is this thing, what does it mean, how does it affect the world? This applies to glass because we take pride in our work and in our creations. Every piece that we create is a piece of ourselves and, as we all know, wholly unique. So if we see another person trying to make the same thing, and make money off it, this takes a toll on our ego. Not only does it raise questions of personal worth, but it also suggests that the creator of a piece is not as important as the piece itself. That perhaps by this other person making the same thing, we are diminished and made less important for someone else being able to do the same. And God damn it, they're making MY money while doing it! So the natural reaction is irritation, anger, rage, what-have-you, and eventually... creativity.

I believe imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That said, I haven't been in glass terribly long. I only have a handful of techniques under my belt, which don't take a lot of thought to find interesting ways to combine. I have one piece I consider my "signature," a bonsai sculpted on the side of a spoon with a blow-out carb. Sometimes I blow the carb out of the rock below the tree instead of the trunk. Whatever. I make this piece because I've never seen anyone else doing it. I pride myself on my creative ability, as we all should, but where does this start and end? This is where our Terms and Definitions come into play! As artists, we all have all four parts of the above-defined terms: In order, we start with Concept, execute with Technique, which ends in a Design or salable product, and the composite of our body of work (all designs) results in our "Style."

If you notice, these are all abstracts. And not everything falls into just one category. But I think we can all agree on at least a few things. Wrap & Rake, frit application, wig-wags, tube pulls, coil-potting, honeycombs... these are examples of a Technique. You can't call someone a "style biter" anymore for having a wig-wag or frit-rolling on something. But that wasn't always the case. It starts with one freakin genius who did something so awesome that the next step was for everyone who could wrap their mind around it to try and make a wig-wag. There was a "first person to do a wrap & rake" who has been so bitten that now it's a BEGINNER TECHNIQUE; odds are that wig-wags will follow suit. This is how art progresses. Sometimes ideas are just so badass that people can't NOT copy them. How many people bite off of, say, Salt? Bearclaw? Eusheen? Kobuki? Carver B? But where does it end? When is it okay to say "It doesn't matter how much Eusheen did it, multiple rods pulled into a horn looks awesome and there needs to be more of it."? Is everyone who makes a flower-implosion marble biting off of Kobuki? Because I'm pretty sure he wasn't the first. And hell, even I've had some amazing ideas that I would have loved to make. But Salt beat me to the punch. Now, I don't think that precludes me from being able to make a skin-tone piece with all sorts of mutation-looking elements on it. But I can't do it nearly as well as Salt can, and if I tried, I would fail and everyone would call me a biter regardless of when I had the idea or heard of Salt. And then there's the electroforming. Damnit.

And so we start getting to the point. Inspiration is one thing. We can all take inspiration from nature and be safe from being called a biter because let's face it: we ALL take a bite out of Mother Nature, I don't care who you are. We all have to learn Techniques. Which are then combined using Concepts to create a Design. A concept can have a million ways to approach it. A technique can have any level of skill in it's execution. There is only ONE execution for ONE design and I think that's where "style biting" becomes a problem. Copy a technique, you're not a biter, you're learning. Copy a concept, you're not a biter, you're thinking. Copy a specific design that one person thought up on their own steam, you're a biter and you need to try harder. And of course there's the old story from Smoked Volume II of that guy trying to sign Salt's name on his own work. There are so many things wrong with that I don't even know where to begin. Beatings. Beatings upon beatings are deserved for those who sign another's name to their work to leech off other's creativity. If you must bite, at least give credit where it's due. That's the least you could do.

One last thing and I'll be done. My first boss had a honeycomb design for a prodo piece that I eventually learned how to do by osmosis more than anything. She stole this design from an ex-boyfriend who had actually put the time in to determine this was the best approach to the piece versus time involved. It was his design. She stole it. I learned it and she made money off me for it. One day she looked at me with total jealousy and said "Isn't it about time you stopped making MY honeycomb?" which I just found to be hilarious. So I got off the bench, spent all of 10 minutes coming up with a new design for a production piece, and that's how I learned to make my Easter Island Head hitters. Everyone loves them and they sit on a shelf with none being the wiser except for a small hole in the top for the mouthpiece. I still make those, because I came up with the design. I still make that same honeycomb as well. Because I wasn't biting the design. And even if I'm accused of biting that honeycomb, it doesn't matter too much because she tried to rip off every original idea I had in that shop. Even her boyfriend started doing mock-ups of my bonsai. If they hadn't sucked so hard as people I would have showed him my process and made it way easier for him. Thems the breaks. Okay, I have to cut myself off here, or I'll go on for days.

Bottom line: I think style biting is relative. Is it okay? No, it's our personal responsibility to be as creative as possible and continue pushing the envelope. But how does a kid learn to paint? By copying other paintings. Or learn to draw by copying other drawings. Style biting will always occur as long as there are people more willing to copy others than think for themselves and we all know how popular that is. But if we all share our techniques equally, then there shall never be a style that needs biting because we will have all the necessary tools to properly express ourselves. Even if that expression is just a mock-up of someone else's work, then the content of the artist's mind is made known, and everyone knows what a punter this guy is. If anyone ever copies my bonsai design, then I'll know I've gotten good enough to bite. And I'll happily give them a few tips. But if style biting must be done as a means to an end, then may that end be creativity and no other purpose. Work, learn, create, put your damn time in on the torch, and focus. Sing your song, the rest of the world be damned. I now leave the floor open for discussion. Friends and world, keep on spinning!