Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Cheats, Thiefs and New Bas Reliefs

 Cheating and stealing are sad facts of life. Unfortunately it happens to artists all the time. I'm currently having to decide if it is worth the cost of an attorney to go after a company that I have worked with in the past for theft of royalties on my work.....

While at the Loveland Sculpture in the Park show in August a number of people politely asked if they could take photos of my work on display. 90% were lovely people who enjoyed my work and wanted to take a picture of my Danny Kaye sculpture because it made them smile - of photos of my new bas relief sculptures because it reminded them of their daughter or granddaughter. And I gave them permission because they asked nicely and they honestly told me their intentions.

But the one that makes my blood boil is the smarmy man who strode into my booth and snapped away photos of my work while I was talking with another visitor. When I turned to approach him he gave me a look out of the corner of his eye and quickly swooped up close to these reliefs for one last photo before darting out of my booth.

He was up to no good and will likely be stealing something from my work - I've encountered his kind before and it is a sad fact of the business that people do this.

So, for you art lovers out there, please be polite when at art shows. Ask before you take photos. Most artists will let you take a photo if you ask, but this is how we make our living - so we must try to be careful at the same time. Not to bash on any countries out there - but there are a few that notoriously steal images from artists and set up sweatshops to produce cheap knock-offs of our work.

Rant over. So here are the two new reliefs that got a lot of attention at the Loveland Sculpture in the Park show. They measure 18" x 24" each and are made of Forton (polymer modified fiberglass reinforced gypsum). Think of it as plaster on steroids. Forton is lighter than plaster, much stronger, especially with the fiberglass, and weather resistant. These are properly sealed and can be displayed outdoors and weigh about 7 lbs each.



Danny Kaye, Eleanor Roosevelt, awards, sales and catching up



I'm way behind in blogging due to preparing for the Loveland Sculpture in the Park. I have been in the Loveland Sculpture Invitational for 3 years but this was my first year at the Sculpture in the Park show and it was a wonderful experience.

"King of Jesters" tribute sculpture to Danny Kaye was a big hit at the Sculpture in the Park show.  Most people knew who he was immediately and were excited to share their stories about how Danny Kaye's movies or work at Unicef were important to them. Especially sweet was to see how many teenage girls were familiar with him - so his legacy lives on. Hope his daughter, Dena Kaye, knows this....

kiplingerpandy.com/sculpture/eleanor.htmlIn other news, my original ceramic portrait sculpture of Eleanor Roosevelt won Award of Merit at the American Women Artists 17th Annual Nation Show and then sold at the Addison Gallery.

#1 of 50 forton cast edition of Eleanor Roosevelt is currently still on display at the National Sculpture Society Awards show being held at Brookgreen Gardens.

Lastly, "Waiting on the #9" bronze sold at the Loveland Sculpture in the Park show in August too. It was a special sale to a very nice man who fell in love with her on Saturday, kicked himself all the way home from the show and came back on Sunday to get her - stories like that, where your work touches somebody, makes it so worth it.