Happy Birthday Week To Mr. and Mrs. Kendall!

Spring in here

Saturday Breakfast

Can you tell that they are related?

My mother = young

Family (minus Dad)

Family (Plus Dad on Skype)

Copy Cats Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

photo from www.pictures-of-kittens-and-cats.com

I have designed posters, invitations and wedding programs for a little while now. Thanks to my friend Yvonne Terney, I have gotten more orders to create wedding invitations to the point that I am now charging people for my services. Charging people has opened a whole new can of worms for me. Now I have to consider the fact of paying taxes etc. etc. But the thing that has been weighing on me the most is the idea of plagiarism. I want to be more conscientious of other designers and give credit where credit is due.

A couple of months ago (before I began charging people), I had a last minute request to whip up a wedding program. I didn't think twice, and copied an idea off the internet and had the programs printed. I didn't think twice because I didn't think I would get credit for the design, nor was I getting paid for programs. It was more like finding an image from an image bank and inserting it into a generic wedding program. However, the clincher was that the couple thanked me on the back side of the program for designing it. I took the 'thank you' as them thanking me for the time....but guilt came over me when the guests of the wedding started complimenting me. I quickly thanked them for their compliment, but I also clarified that I copied a design off the internet. I don't feel too bad only because I didn't charge the couple for 'my designs', but I think that I am in the wrong because I blurred the line between creating an original design and plagiarizing.

Sometimes, I have requests that ask for the most basic of basic designs: a 'floral' image coming out of one corner of a program with accompanying text. I believe this format of design is used by so many artists that one can not make legal claims for the format itself. However, I wonder if I need to be careful in where I gather the 'floral' image. I think, 'surely people know I took that image off the internet and the copyright isn't mine?'. Is it okay that I assume that?

In this day and age, where images are readily accessible on the internet to scan, copy and manipulate, what is considered copy-catting? This applies not only to the world of internet images, but to art in general-- fashion, jewelry, crafts, writing, music and so on. The line between originality and plagiarism is often blurred. In general, when I am making a design, I 'research' other designs for 'inspiration,' and therefore it is inevitable that the ideas of others will spill into my designs. In other words, when I research the work of other designers, the designs that I like will often influence my own design; however, I won't cut and paste those designs into my own. I believe that I am creating something 'original' as long as the end result is mine. However, this is easier said than done; what does it mean to say that a design is 'mine'?

This question-- of what is 'mine'-- is one of the reasons why I don't entertain the idea of having an etsy account. This doesn't necessarily apply to my printed designs, but rather to other items I have crafted, such as earrings, t-shirts, baby items and cards. I've crafted gifts for friends, and some have kindly suggested I sell them on sites such as etsy. However, I have a hesitation to make such a move, because I feel that in doing so I'm making some kind of claim that the ideas are 'mine'. If I start selling these crafts, I believe that I am obligated to properly follow up on the unstated ethics of craft (e.g. where did I come up with the idea? are there existing copyright issues? am I respecting other craft-makers? am I giving credit where credit is properly due?). I'm not sure I am prepared to look into these questions. Therefore, I don't sell my crafts. If I don't sell, I can craft away without the fear of breaking any unsaid craft-making ethics. I can craft away to my hearts content!

There might be a good analogy for this in the culinary arts. I have friends that make delicious dinners and desserts. I compliment them on their cooking, but I also know that they generally followed a recipe. Now, are they charged with plagiarism? I don't think so. But if they were a chef in a fine dinging restaurant, they would have a different set of obligations to give credit for their dishes. The chefs and bakers I know often jealously guard their secret recipes. Once you begin to sell a product, there is a new set of ethics that applies.

We make art because we are inspired. But we have a responsibility to give credit where credit is due. What concerns me the most is that credit is properly given, especially when you're marketing your art. Of course, determining when and where this is necessary is not always easy. Nevertheless, artists have a duty to borrow well. There is a sense in which we need to strive to be original. And there is another sense in which we can never really be original, cannot escape being copy-cats. I agree with Michelangelo: "Only God creates. The rest of us just copy."

My All Time 31...

Several days ago (maybe even weeks ago), Vincent asked his blog readers to list their favorite albums. Just the other day, he asked why I hadn't listed mine....so I did. Which brought back memories of this:
I heart New Kids.
And this is my all time favorite:

If Vincent sings this to me, it will seal the deal.

Recalled to Life

photo from the pulse

Article by Vincent T. Howard

Tents for Haiti

photo from CNN

Passing the word along for New City Fellowship and R3International:

In Jacmel, Haiti some 2,000 people have lost their homes and are sleeping in a field. An organization there has a plan for transitional and long term housing, but there is an immediate need for tents. We have offered to collect 650 tents and deliver them to Jacmel within the next week. We need your help. Please consider donating a new or unused 2 pole 3-4 person tent, along with $10 to help cover shipping. Tents can be delivered to us or to New City
(2412 E.4th St,Chattanooga TN 37404). Checks can be made out to New City, with Haiti tents in the memo. If you are unable to send a tent, please consider sending $50 to cover the cost of a tent. We need to move quickly!

*Friends who don't attend New City: if you would like, you can bring the tents (or checks made out to New City Fellowship) to Vincent and I and we can pass them along to the church.*

Last Weekend

Vincent turned 29!
The last year in his 20's.
It's not too late to wish him happy birthday!

On his birthday, after sleeping in, we rolled out to
Aretha Frankensteins for brunch with Phil.
The wait is slow, but it's worth the wait. Time to just chill with friends and a cup of coffee.
Then later we strolled out to go shoe shopping and CD shopping.

It was a perfect low key day.
I love these days where I can just 'hang' with my husband.
I'm glad he was born.