Tuesday, June 8

Dear Copycats,

new work from the bench

a thank you and an update from me....

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You win. Not really. But, I'm not going to fight you. I'm not going to file a DMCA claim. I'm not going to pay my attorney my hard earned money to file suit against you in another country. I'm not going to fret and whine and waste any more hours about what's fair or ethical.

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You see, while you are on your third cup of coffee, watching some inane program on television with one eye, and my shop with another, I'm already at my bench. I've got more ideas in my little moleskines scattered throughout the house than I have days to make them.
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Not every idea is a great one. Not every thing you create will sell. But at the end of the day, when you have a body of work you can call your own, I'd call that a pretty good day.
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Oh, that knock on your door....that's Karma. She takes care of everything.
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Not in the mood for kissing right now, maybe later,
xoSherry

17 comments:

Jodie said...

When I made ceramics, I had people who used the same studio as I did (for firing), copy my designs....exactly. The studio owner told me she was stunned at the number of people who blatantly ripped my design off to sell at markets/fairs.
I just shrugged my shoulders because I had a dozen more design ideas up my sleeve.
Being successful means staying ahead of all those who would prefer to take the elevator, rather than make the climb.
Don't let the imitators get you down!

Unknown said...

Jodie speaks the truth, its amazing what time people will spend making a copy rather than productively spend creating an original. No imagination whatsoever but hey, not everyone can have the talent. Thats why the imitators pale by comparison, because they have nowhere to go. Onwards and upwards to you!

jodie said...

I forgot to add this link in...
http://www.leeloo.com.au/?p=2190&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LeelooDogBlog+%28Leeloo.com.au+%3A%3A+Unique+Design+Online%29&utm_content=Twitter

Lack of creativity and originality runs rampant.

Carol said...

You and your work will always be THE original.
The only way to prevent great designs from being copied is to never show them.
Karma will indeed take care of the copiers and it will bring only good things to you.

connie said...

Hang in there! I am sorry you are having to deal with this. Don't let it drain your creative energy because your ideas are incredible!!!

I love your work and wear my pendent regularly!

Brittany said...

I think you've got a great attitude about it, Sherry. If you were to spend your time and money being "right" (and you would be in the right, of course) by going after the folks who have copied your work, it would be a drain on you and wouldn't necessarily prevent someone else out there from doing the exact same thing. Your work is amazing, which is why I have - and will continue to be - one of your biggest fans and a repeat customer. I look forward to checking your shop periodically to see what new jewelry you've created. Keep on keeping on, my friend!

Rebecca said...

This kind of thing happens all the time. One of the things I hate most about selling at shows is those people who come by the booth and check out all your work, pick it up and study it, and then whisper that "I can make this myself..." and other such comments. They come to the shows not to buy, not to admire and talk with the artists about art, but to look for things to copy. Grrr. My answer to that is... good luck trying. Some folks don't have imagination to create something of their own, and some folks simply don't have the skills. So they have no idea just what is involved in a creating piece of jewelry, or a painting or a ceramic sculpture or textural art. So Sherry, those copycats can try, but I guarantee their work won't be quality work and it won't be worth buying. It won't hold a candle to yours. Sorry that you are going through this, but it seems to be part of the life of being an artist. Sigh.

Sherry said...

Until I started to talk about this out loud, I didn't realize just how common place and insidious this practice was across all mediums.

It's exhausting to think about let alone fight. When it happened in my etsy shop I was stunned at the blatancy.

But when a company sent my shop photos to my level supplier and asked if he could create the jewelry, I was speechless. My husband said" Let them try". It only took us about 20 prototypes to attach the disparate elements (sterling and plastic)

In any event, thank you all for your comments, it's a pleasure to know you.

xoSherry

Pretty Things said...

:( I wish I had the right thing to say.

Kathy said...

You are doing the right thing....it all works out as it is meant to work out. Your things are amazing. Love the new ones.

Original Hardware Jewelry said...

Good for you Sherry. I know it's easier said than done to rise above it. Shame on the fakers. But I agree--what comes around, goes around...

Anna said...

Karma will catch up to them eventually and I pray it's sooner than later. I have the same situation with someone in another country and she informed me that I was breaking the law by trying to stop her from making "an honest living wage"! Can you believe that? It is amazing the lengths people go to in order to try & make their theft seem OK...at least to themselves.

Catherine Ivins said...

Sherry- I am very sorry that you have to go through this.

To copycats it is always about money -they do not understand what our own original work means to us because they have never created something and then taken it through 10 incarnations only to have someone come along and copy our final work for their own profit.

When I have stopped people from copying me they always get angry at me for taking something away from them - I had one seller who copied my one shop exactly and when I had her items removed, she opened another shop copying my other shop!

She now has a shop with over 5000 sales copying 3 other people! I am 100% certain though, that the money she makes flows right out of her life.

I now have my big copier bead company that I will probably not have the money to fight. It is actually easier for me, personally to deal with this company, which feels like business and not personal, than the individual copiers that are so very hurtful.

I know how much this hurts and my heart hurts for you, too. It is because your work is so original that you have to deal with this- keep on keeping on my friend.

xo

Mary Richmond said...

it is annoying and disheartening, isn't it? i am sort of fed up with the internet and it's easy access to everyone's ideas. people can steal ideas and designs and work so easily these days and they can do it from their couches....i have my images stolen a lot and am fed up with it...yechhhhh....anyway, good for you for making noise about this...

Waterrose said...

I agree...I have journals full of designs and ideas and no longer worry about copycats or more appropriately thieves. I also know that I don't have to feel embarrassed or shame when someone compliments me on my work.

Lynn Lunger said...

If no kisses from you, then (((HUGS))) from me.

They may steal the design, but you will always have the feeling of integrity and pride that comes with creating original designs.

There really is no overstating the value of self-expression, creativity and originality. I believe it makes the spirit 'shine'. I imagine copycats as shades of gray.

Sherry said...

Perfect posts, my friends. Lynn, "the shades of gray" is an outstanding visual!