skill vs vision

While I was recently sick, I spent some time channel-surfing (the only thing my brain could handle). I chanced upon The Runway Project, where designers compete against each other for a shot at the big time. The particular challenge they faced was to make a costume for an imaginary film, done in a certain genre. And they had to be done in one day! They pulled the best and worst, and critiqued them. The best were really good - they had decided on a story, and the costume fit the story. The craftsmanship was good, and the costume's added to their story. The worst were ho-hum, couldn't tell where they fit in any story. But what struck me was a judge's comment - "She has good skills, but she doesn't have a vision" or something similar. How many times have we made something by following someone's pattern, or while you're making a piece you're just going through the motions? Are those pieces really art? When a piece talks to you, tells you what it's story is, and you manage to make something that really reflects that story, it just sings! It's made me affirm to myself, that what I make should have a story, that everything about it should reflect/add to that story. That my "major" pieces should not just reflect my beading skills, but be able to let someone see my vision about that piece. Skills only get you so far -the vision is key!