Copyrights and Inspiration

There has been talk around the internet regarding copying each other's work and/or not giving credit where credit is due. I want to state my opinion on the matter.

I believe we should honor our teacher's and sources of inspiration. I personally adore the work of Eni Oken, Iza Malzyck and Lynne Merchant. These women have shined a light on the beauty of wire and opened my mind to possibilities. Sharilyn Miller is the most excellent teacher and I would be no where without her. I have said all this before.http://theangstyartist.blogspot.com/2009/07/behind-scenes.html

When I was interviewed on Bead_Pearles blog http://beads-perles.blogspot.com/2010/03/mary-tucker.html I mentioned these women, and I hope I honored them. I hope they feel honored by me. Iza Malzyck is still the number one exit link off this blog, and whenever I mention a specific design that inspired me, she gets as much web traffic as this little blog is capable of.

I have purchased tutorials from Iza and Eni, that I did not need. Books from Sharilyn that I did not need. Simply because I felt I owed them something monetarily for their influence.

If any of these women ever felt dishonored by me, I hope to have a chance to show them I care. Just because my conscience is clear, doesn't mean I would not bend and adapt to spare the feelings of another person.

Usually when I do a new design that I know is directly related to anyone at all, on or off the net, I mention their name and their influence in the work. Sometimes I explore the wire and end up in similar places as other artists, in such cases I do not usually mention their name. I may have arrived at the same place, but I arrived by my own path.

I have made a design that is 100% the same as Sharilyn Miller without ever seeing that design until years later. Sometimes the matter comes down to whether or not you believe what someone tells you. I have actually felt pressure to LIE and say I was inspired by someone else even when I wasn't. Just so that I would not look bad. Maybe you have also felt that pressure.

Though I believe in honoring our inspirations and teachers, I don't believe we should be enslaved by them. I don't believe it is empowering to set down every jot and tittle of their influences on each piece we make.

Some people are starting to find my own work to be an inspiration and I'm thrilled. Some of these people already had similar ideas, it's just that I beat them to it. Haven't we all had that happen to us? Most of them have made me feel plenty honored. They have mentioned my name and linked my blog and have far repaid me anything they have owed. But I would never want them to have to mention my name over and over every time they make a item that is inspired by that same theme. No one should have to feel afraid or fret that I will be after them for every design they make. Most of these women have already made their own contributions to weaves and vessels and have inspired me right back.

There are people who abuse this. There always will be people who give no honor or sideline their inspirations completely and some who outright steal whole designs and even teach them as their own. I do think such things are wrong. They are hurtful. And they are also against copyright law.

I am going to do something new and different very soon. I have already begun it. I am writing you a free GUIDE on how to make a trinket box. It will be on my blog in less than a week.

Wire is something to joy over. People are for caring about. We can care about each other and we can have fun.