[Aquanet] Fw: AWS controversy

Mon Sep 15 12:49:20 EDT 2008

----- Original Message ----- 
From: patchapin at mindspring.com 
To: Carrie Holst 
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 9:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Aquanet] AWS controversy

I wondered how long it was going to take the fine art world to experience something on this order and scale.  My stuff is commercial and my copyrights are registered; the attorney I use for copyright infringement has gone after people using my work on everything from rubber stamps to bedsheet sets (urgh).  I've heard enough stupid excuses ("we thought it was copyright free") and arguments ("I added that little lighthouse in the background, so it's mine now"). The people involved either have protected themselves from long experience, or don't have enough assets to make a judgment collectable, even for  costs, but I pursue anyway, because it needs to be a matter of record. 

So, the 'Net has an upside and a downside -- your work gets more exposure than otherwise possible, but by the same token your images can be lifted by that many more people.  I don't have any trouble identifying the 'artist' as the guilty party, and I know the AWS probably doesn't have membership as computer-savvy as it ought, but it is the one which will take the lasting hit.

Worst thing is, this will happen again unless painters police themselves -- this dame blatantly ripped off the entire artistic community, and denigrates the artistic concept.  When you see an infraction and are sure of your facts, don't tell another artist only -- tell a show chair,  tell the gallery or shop director, tell the public, tell the news media.  Remember, the public at large already thinks artists are skewed -- what does this tell them?

pat chapin
www.patchapin.com

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Carrie Holst 
  To: aquanet at thedigitalbraintrust.net 
  Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 7:59 AM
  Subject: Re: [Aquanet] AWS controversy

  The wet canvas thread is a great read, You can get all the information within the first several pages.  It is pretty hard to dispute the image overlay of the photograph then the painting. Every strand of hair is identical. AWS has volunteers just like every watercolor society, I can see how they want to trust people that say they are entering original work. The young woman made a bad choice and will most likely be sued by a couple or more photographers.

  carrie holst

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  Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:24:39 -0500
  From: watercolorist at artmaker.com
  To: Aquanet at thedigitalbraintrust.net
  Subject: Re: [Aquanet] AWS controversy

  Well, as my grandmother used to say, "I do know!"

  There have been so many things that have happened to me, mostly about some graphics, not paintings,
  and I used to fight it but finally I gave up.  One of my little animated fairies is on the myspace page of free
  graphics people can use on their pages.  

  I do use images of flowers that people that are friends of mine at webshots have taken.  This is due to the
  fact that because of health issues, my getting out has been limited.  Recent surgery has greatly improved
  this so I hope I will be out there a lot more with my camera.  However, I have a whole page at webshots
  where people have been honored to give me carte blanche on using their pictures.  But I never use one
  without it.

  But this seems so absolutely blatant, what CAN she have been thinking?  That nobody would notice?
  I think if so, she was really living in dreamland.

  Sad, sad.
  Cia

  Jack Russell wrote: 

    Since it seems to be quiet here on the Aquanet list, I thought I’d pass along something that has become a heated discussion on the Wet Canvas website. Apparently, the gold medal winner at the 2008 American Watercolor Society show has been accused of copyright infringement. The painting in question is a combination of two photographs taken by a photographer who claims not to have given the winning artist permission to reproduce the images. In addition, there seems to be some question as to whether the winning painting is really a painting at all or, perhaps, a high quality print. The “print or painting” discussion has arisen among photographers who point to a flaw in the photo being visible in the winning painting.

    Here’s the link to the ongoing discussion at Wet Canvas (be advised it’s already 14 pages long and still growing) . . .

    http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=515288

    If the gold medal winner is ultimately proven to be a fraud, it would seem to put the AWS in a very awkward position, especially if the “painting” turns out not to be a painting at all. As someone who’s never entered a show, I’m fascinated by this story and somewhat surprised that a prestigious group such as the AWS doesn’t do more stringent “vetting” of submissions to its annual show.

    Jack 

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