Copy Cat!

I have a lot of books on my studio shelves by artists who share their techniques and personal artistic style. I am inspired by their work, try to learn from their methods, and also try hard to be sure that nothing I create too closely resembles the work of those artists who inspire me. My cyber-friend and artist Debbie Fecher has given me great advice in this arena. As a result, I tend to move slowly and cautiously when in a creative mode inspired by someone else. It's important that my work is just that, my work. I try to pause and really think about what I'm doing and avoid becoming a lazy copy cat.


Tonight I was reminded that more "artists" should pause before they make something and then pass it off as their own. I visited a website today that referenced a blog, and that blog listed a few others...you know how you can get lost stumbling from one to another and lose all track of time. The last blog that I viewed had a photo of a table set up for a show/sale and had artwork on it that looked exactly like that of Kelly Rae Roberts, an artist whose instructional book "Taking Flight" I bought and read cover to cover and highly recommend. I thought this tabletop shop was hers and tried to figure out where she was selling, hoping I might be able to see some of her original work if it were nearby. It appears that this particular blog author must have attended a workshop conducted by Kelly Rae or read "Taking Flight," and had generated a large amount of artwork that was so similar as to appear to be copies of Ms. Robert's work. This was the blogger's sale table and there was no reference to Kelly Rae Roberts at all. I then took a peek at the blogger's Etsy site and found more of "her" art for sale that appeared to be more copies of Ms. Robert's work. Shame, shame, shame.

I would rather move slowly and struggle to produce original work with integrity than to copy another artist's work and not only pass it off as my own, but sell it with my name on it. Ms. Robert's has explained in her book and on her own blog what she views as "not okay." This includes replicating her paintings or designs and selling them as the new creator's own work. Someone has clearly missed that part of the book, blog or class and stepped over the line big time. Shame on her.

Rain, rain, rain

The weather forecast calls for a solid week of rain which started yesterday. They mean business! As the clouds were just beginning to roll in, I thought that the wicked weather would be the most fabulous argument for spending guilt-free time in the studio. Before my excuse arrived full force, I put on a tank top (it was actually pretty cold - what was I thinking?) and zipped outside to plant the herbs I bought weeks ago that have been clinging to life in my kitchen. I dug, planted, looked up at the clouds, and realized I wouldn't see the sun for a while. I love the rain, so this is OK with me. But I figured I'd enjoy some outdoor time as long as Mother Nature permitted.

As the wind picked up, I grabbed my kitchen herb scissors and started trimming the out-of-control tomato plant that is still producing in January, along with the overgrown and sprawling Heliotrope plant. These plants, along with a couple of irises, are all in the same planting well, more evidence that I have absolutely no business in a garden. I chuckled to myself, knowing full well that I'll never be compared to Martha Stewart. Stopping every few minutes to watch the clouds roll in, it occurred to me that very few adults do the same. I love going in the back yard and sitting as quietly as I can, trying to pick out all of the wild bird songs. I love watching the hawk sail overhead, hunting and calling out (which I always thought of as being a bad hunting technique). Sometimes I can catch sight of a pair of squirrels chasing each other around the avacado tree, one appearing to be much more in a playing mood than the other that turns as scolds the "chaser" every few rounds. I see the lizards on the wall doing push ups, and watch the bees zoom from little flower to flower, trying not to do my usual flight with my arms flapping and yelling, "buzzer!" I love this quiet time and feel that everyone would do well to enjoy the little stuff that goes on whether or not we're paying attention.

Now I'm geared up to get to work and enjoy indoors. While the rain taps on the window, I will enjoy sitting in the studio with music playing or a fabulous old movie (maybe "A Date with Judy" starring a very young Elizabeth Taylor), brainstorming for my current art project. I'll take breaks to help my son study for finals this week, and enjoy the fact that life is really, really good right now.