The Internet Does Not Love You
It’s a weird feeling. A terrible one. It’s been seven years and it still stings. Seeing something you created stolen and mass produced item. A spark of an idea, a silly sketch, a colorful illustration, dropped on a copy machine unbeknownst to you.
In the fall of 2016 I did a collab with Strange Ways shop in New Haven, CT. The idea was to do a pin and a patch—super popular items at the time (maybe still are?). I already had a folder of artwork, from doing daily drawing posts, so it was a matter of picking which ones would work. The ‘Oh Yeah’ illustration I had shared on Instagram back in 2014 seemed like a perfect fit. Fast forward the pin and patch are released.
BOOM!
A swath of art was stolen from the Strange Ways website and other stores featuring independent artists. Scanned, badly redrawn, crappy versions of original art from artists I know and are in community with, being produced in bulk. Folks like me who have been sharing work and extending the creative practice with products our audiences can enjoy.
Flashback
Recently, I saw a post on instagram about the current hot fast fashion brand (shall not be named) stealing work—either directly or through their suppliers—who knows. It took me back to this moment of seeing copies of my patch on t-shirts and hats.
I had learned of the first sighting from a friend texting me an image of the patch on a rack at a random store. The messages and posts started shortly after. For the ones I could appeal to, I got taken down, but a lot of them were sourced through a mass manufacturer, where appeals are ignored. It was like wack-a-mole, I eventually gave up.
As fall returns, I’m usually reminded and do a quick search to see what comes up when I type in “Oh Yeah Patch”. How bad are the interpretations? Which sites are they on now? How has it changed over time?
A Lesson
Somewhere in the mix is a feeling about an idea enduring? Having lasting power? Trust me, I laughed as I wrote that too. The only thing that would make me feel better beyond taking them all down, is being compensated so I can bankroll college funds.
I care about attribution and compensation. Every artist does (and should). We take huge risks when we share of ourselves publicly. I share, to get the ideas out of my head, to engage with my creative community and to try different approaches to my process. The idea and energy exchange is important to me.
The one thing I did learn for sure is a good idea taps into something already there, a lived experience, an earnest memory. And if you can capture that lightning, your work will endure.
Stay Wonderful.
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