Wanda Edwards followed my blog and purchased my DVD. You may even remember that she attended my opening at NAVIO in New Bedford, MA and introduced herself to me.
Wanda used to be a water color artist until she found my work. I am glad that she is so inspired by my work that she has chosen to create her black and white cows like my black and white cows that won the Artist's Magazine Competition (scroll down) and her cupcakes just like my cupcakes, cupcakes with cherries on top, her beach scenes just like the one above, and a few other images that may seem familiar to you. She has obviously been inspired and I am flattered.
Wanda recently put together a face book page with photos of her art papers drying in the grass, they look just like the one above from my Hardcover Book and on my blog and this photo from last summer!
I am sincerely flattered when Wanda uses terms in her blog and facebook page like "paper palette" and "torn paper paintings." I'm even happy she's painting rice paper and book pages too. These are excellent techniques that will help to improve the painterly feeling of her work.
Wanda is gaining publicity! She even had a local newspaper article written about her technique. This is fantastic, all press is good press. In her article she says "I don't cut, I tear" Something I stressed in my DVD and on my blog. She even specifically quotes my term "directional ripping" a phrase I came up with to describe a technique I spent a lot of time covering on the Collage Overview DVD and in my Hardcover Book. It would have loved it if after Wanda quoted me, she would have mentioned my DVD and book in her article.
Of course there are many people who have purchased my DVD and taken my classes who now have learned my collage technique. I have posted their work many times on my blog. I am happy to inspire folks, and I just LOVE it when they take the technique and run in their own direction with it. Aurore Brunet did an amazing job incorporating the Paper Painting technique into her own style and her own imagery.
I wish Wanda success with her Torn Paper Paintings in MA and beyond!
Gee, Elizabeth, I was trying so hard not to make mine look like yours so you wouldn't think I was copying:) You are really a kind artist!
ReplyDeleteOh my....that is AWFUL! Well Elizabeth, I would like to believe that an artist (anybody, really) who approaches their work with honesty and a curious spirit - and struggles to find their *own* path will come out ahead. You've got talent, but also integrity, which is no small thing.
ReplyDelete...it is awful, and I am struggling to keep my comments positive. :)
ReplyDeleteYou took the high road. You are gracious. And as your career soars there may continue to be more and more people who do not credit you as the master artist they learned their technique from. Perhaps a statement could be added to the dvd sleeve asking for credit due in PR and bios to you as the master artist who taught them the technique. She took it a little farther by even mimicing your compositions.
ReplyDeletewhat a tough situation you're in. your response is dignified and above board. it makes me proud to "know" you. i enjoyed how kelly rae roberts handled this same scenario after her book came out. she gave her followers, readers, etc. her "rules" on the difference between copying and inspiration. every artist should read , understand and follow those rules.
ReplyDeletetake care!
wow-to not mention you as her inspriration is a bit cold...you are very gracious to say the least. I like your cows better...there I said it!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
I've been meaning to send you this link to another wonderful collage artist- she uses fabric for her collages. Laura lives near me and I've seen her work up close- also took her workshop to learn how she uses fabric- Laura Breitman is her name. website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.laurabreitman.net/
amazing artist, really nice person.
Elizabeth
I just discovered your blog a few months ago. I love, love, love your work. As a fellow artist I have to say I feel sad for her. She must not feel very true to herself. Good for you for being so gracious.
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog a few months ago. I love, love, love your work. As an artist myself, I have to say, I feel sad for her. She must not feel true to herself. I admire the way you treated the situation.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your kind words of encouragement. So far I have not heard from Wanda. Elizabeth, I'll check our your friend, that sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteThat is sad Elizabeth :0( but they are still judging the Artists competion I think and the winners won't be published until December, so there is still a chance you could intervene and stand up for your work. The work in the competetion is suppose to be original in concept. I do enjoy your blog and your creativity. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteLeada
I've thought about this post a lot before deciding that I also wanted to comment. This must have been very difficult post to write in order to get just the right tone. You did a really good job. You've shared a lot with your readers and your students, which I really feel will be repaid in kind--and not in the way that this student is doing it. One of the best parts about being an artist is taking a new technique and making it our own, not copying! Her watercolors are very nice--why not expand on those?
ReplyDeleteWow. Not to give credit where credit is due, is so wrong! I find this all so scary as I try to find my way in the art world. (quilter) I want to use what I learn from classes, dvds, books, magazine articles and make it my own, but have this fear of being accused of just copying. So sorry this has happened to you. I love following your work on your blog!
ReplyDeleteI am very happy to receive comments from all of you, especially those of you who are telling me that you have been followers of the blog but had never commented before, or it has been a while since you commented. THANK YOU for reading, it means a lot.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I wrote to Elizabeth personally I feel I need to add my comment to those who are already supporting her. Several times in the course of my teaching career I've had others copy my work, even going as far as asking me for copies of my teaching notes and slides. Most teachers face this in one way or another. Elizabeth has chosen the high road and because of that I'm sure she'll prevail and this Wanda somebody will fail. It's a given that her "success" will be short lived.
ReplyDeleteLike Kim, when I've studied with an artist I've struggled to make what I learned into something that is my own. A couple of times I ached with longing to do similar work. When I talked it over with my teacher/friend she said to go ahead and copy as long as I don't publish or sell or teach her work because with enough honest work whatever I do is filtered through my brain and experience and comes out as an original expression of my art esthetic. I can live with that. We take classes to learn from the masters, not to copy them but to add to our repository of knowledge.
We've got your back, Elizabeth, and we're all learning even more from you because this happened and you handled it so well.
So many good comments, that there is not a lot to add, except to say that by comparison, Wanda's work lacks the spontaneous sparkle and vitality of your original pieces. Perhaps, as a beginner, she will learn that work copied from another is not only dishonest, but ultimately unsuccessful.
ReplyDeleteHoping she moves on and finds her own voice.
oh my. Just had a chance to read this. I am SO glad really that you took the "high road" as Robin point out. You are a class act, Elizabeth. I have been asked by an art league up here in Wisconsin to talk to a group about your style of painting. Someone saw my pineapple on my blog and asked to see it in person and that is how it began. I have been VERY careful to use your name as the technique inspiration and your blog and your book and DVD. We do not plan to paint cows or roosters but I will encourage the group to go and look at your blog to see them. I plan to get to one of your classes next winter if at all possible. Your room key had your painting on it? No way!
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