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Highlights (& lowlights) from the last day of 2011…..
I pack and load the car with the 10 paintings in the “Ontogeny” series (5 ~ 16×20, 5 ~ 11×14).
I decide at the last minute to grab an 11th, an older painting which some of you might already be familiar with, 
”Marching Orders”. It happens to also be 16×20, the importance of which I will soon share with you. Figured that the layout of the room (three walls, each a different length) might require an “extra” piece of art, perhaps to be paired with my artist’s bio.
I unwrap the artwork, not all of the artwork mind you, because ‘clever me’ (***said with sarcasm***) decided it would be okay to wrap every other one, leaving the 2nd, 4th, etc. paintings unwrapped. Bad form. Bad, bad form. Because even though 9 out of the 10 paintings were unscathed upon arrival, one frame managed to get so scratched up I actually let out a screech when I saw it.
And so my chicken painting came to the rescue of my frog painting.
Thankfully, I had also decided to take my point driver and needle nose pliers, both of which I don’t typically have along for hanging a show. I did a quick switcheroo of the frames and hung the frog painting on the wall with the bio next to it. I packed up the damaged frame and chicken painting, and headed out the door thankful that a last-minute decision proved invaluable.
Triptych sneak peak.
Coos County Fair & Rodeo Queen 2010 Portrait Commission
People do what they’ve always done, either because they have not been told differently or they’ve gotten away with it for years. Case in point…the use, ANY kind of use, of photos taken by photographers (professional, amateur, or the home-grown kind) without the express, preferably written, consent of the photographer.
I am an artist not just on a local level, but nationally and internationally as well. I take my business and my future as an artist very seriously. Sometimes being serious and “by-the-book” can come across as difficult to work with or not being part of the group. When I am given a reference photograph to do a portrait of a person or pet, I immediately ask who took the picture. Once I know who the photographer is I have them sign a Copyrighted Image Use Agreement.
Some clients see this as a hassle and not worth the effort. “It’s never been an issue before” is the response I most frequently hear. They’d just as soon go to some other artist who will do the portrait, no questions asked. Every photographer, however, has appreciated that I value and respect their craft (and U.S. Copyright Law) enough to ask permission before using their image.
Additional information about copyright laws and reference photos can be obtained here.
