Etsy Mud Team - May 3 through 9

Hard to believe that people actually lift descriptions. That's just lazy and blatant and well, not right.

I love the history behind how ideas progress. I think that's part of the fun of creating. Folks that don't go through the process are cheating themselves. IMHO

Posted at 7:57am May 5, 2009 EDT

Definitely flu-ish.
Looks to be another gray and rainy day in Jersey...
A ton of mason stains should arrive today... with other stuff...
Glaze testing appears overwhelming.
Gotta get the kids to school.. then I may crawl back into bed.

Posted at 8:07am May 5, 2009 EDT

I would not contact people if making similar items.If is something I feel strongly about it I would keep making it and defend it ,if needed.If is something I don't care much about I'll toss it.If the people making it are my friends I would tell them about it if they are my enemies YEAH I would let them know I started a slip cast line on that item :) sorry I can't help it I tend to make fun of everything.
the flower nesting bowls happened because I let my child cut some flowers for my jewelry. She made them more than 1" thick and I was like : wow that's kind of cool.I kept a few ,squished a few in a bowl shape and then I ran to michaels to find graduated cookie cutters :).now because the cookie cutters are easy to find and it took one set made in the community studio to have a slew of flowers coming a week later from the kiln ,I'll work on making a custom shape easier to distinguish as my own.
dg nesting bowls ,flowers or not are common sense. No potter has copyright over it.Cookie cutters are a common tool even though the purists would frown upon it so combining the two is really something that can happen naturally in many many minds at once and I would definitely not send out cease and desist letters :).
Once I ripped off a rim from an 14 century italian plate.I started making a dinnerware set around that idea ,cookware and vases.I loved it because I developed it from one alteration on the rim ,in spliting the rim in three and it was fun and hard to do.I made it for 6 months then I took a break from pottery 3 months .coming back to the studio all these plates with triple rims were in bisque shelves and this guy was talking about "his"pots.I know he was lying and he didn't "make them forever" but I moved on and went to find another brilliant Italian monk to "steal" from.
This is one long post.
somebody hold me back one of my favorite children book illustrators is on etsy and I wanna buy his prints.:)

Posted at 8:14am May 5, 2009 EDT

JudyF-
Love that blog piece! So many pretty butterflies!

Maybe I will become a morning person-first I have to have a serious talk with my night owl person.
The birds are so alive and chirpy first thing in the wee hours!

Have a Happy Day Today!

One day at a time and Breathe-

Posted at 8:46am May 5, 2009 EDT

Good morning. I just saw Kristin/Loveartworks on a beautiful FP treasury. Congrats...you look good there!

Congrats, JudyB on the butterfly blog by HouseofMouse; and Artsie on your new puppy!

Posted at 8:52am May 5, 2009 EDT

Loveartworks on the FP... PICKED BY TORY JOHNSON OF GOOD MORNING AMERICA!!!

Posted at 8:52am May 5, 2009 EDT

Lavinia -

this guy was inspired by your sprites and matryoshka dolls:
www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23048561

Can you tell?

Posted at 8:53am May 5, 2009 EDT

Good morning! Hot topic ... copying brings as much debate as the 'art vs craft' topic!

I remember the topic came up with a guest artist back at school and the advice given was (paraphrased)'to take copying as a form of flattery and move on with your next designs. The copier must not have a next design but you are creative and strong so just move on.' I think that is one healthy (physically - not raising the blood pressure!)way to cope but discussion and awareness is necessary to try to prevent the copiers to start with. It is done so much in the bigger world that some may feel it is an accepted way of business.

I also think that before internet if someone visiting a show across the country saw someone making work like their's that they would meet with 'wow, what a coincidence, great minds think alike!' But with internet people are more prone to jump to the idea that we were copied.

Posted at 8:56am May 5, 2009 EDT

OH they changed the FP but I was able to see it on Heartomatic- the vault-
Thanks for the heads up Lapella that is so wonderful for Loveartworks!

Posted at 9:05am May 5, 2009 EDT

Janet, wow- nice feature on Mouse's blog!

As to the copying issue, I have a strong opinion, and have stated it previously. This time I am only asking that those who have only been making pottery for a few years just be aware of how those who have been in pottery as a profession for decades feel. Whether you agree with Whitney now or not, in 10-15 years, you will be looking at life from her point of view, you will have those same thoughts, same feelings.

It doesn't feel good to be copied artistically. It does not feel like flattery. It feels like someone has used or demeaned one of your children.

And I'm not talking about doing something similar to someone else, or using their techniques, or the same cookie cutters, or being influenced by a workshop leader or teacher who knowingly transmitted designs to you, or imitating for personal experimentation and not for profit.

I'm talking about noticing that PotterX is getting $200 for those Xsets on Etsy, and hey! I could make me some of those! And I'll sell mine for $75. Where? On Etsy, of course! THAT is the copycatting that pisses in the cornflakes of PotterX.

All I'm saying is that until you have been there yourself, and walked a mile in PotterX's shoes, don't judge. And if you are ever falsely accused of copycatting, that must hurt, too. All who are accused are not guilty. But it doesn't mean that all who are accused are innocent.

Posted at 9:09am May 5, 2009 EDT