Getting Your Style!

How does a newer woodcarver get their "style"? When I say "style" I mean what sets your carving apart from others. I think that if one were to place the finished carvings of most experienced and accomplished woodcarvers on a table for all to see, most could identify each carving to a specific carver. The carvings of Marv Kaisersatt, Pete LeClair, and Harley Refsal, have their own look or "style". So do the carvings of Lynn Doughty, Gene Messer, Harold Goodman, Mark Akers, and Mark Gargac. I think we all need to develop our own "style". This is where starts to get kinda tricky. You see a lot of new woodcarvers will start out copying someone elses "style". I think this is fine, especially when one is trying to learn how to makes cuts that result in the desired look. But, in all fairness, sooner or later the carver should stop copying. I say fairness to mean, fairness to both the newer carver and the one he/she is copying. Where this might get somewhat "tricky" is what about the carvers who just carve as a challenge, and keeps all of their carvings for themselves? I even think this carver is selling him or herself short. As soon as one stops imitating and copying, ones own style may come forward.