I am in the process of relocating my Designing Fairy blog to here, and merging the two blogs–my art with my writing. My Designing Fairy site will now be my website for my art and design services.
How that came about is, of course, a funny story. In my life, I am trying to streamline and see where my energy is going out and not coming back. A recurring pattern I am seeing is “giving it all away for free.” I do this often and then find I can’t pay the bills! All that work so others can benefit, but I am not benefiting. Not the best way to do business.
I had a feeling that with my art blog, which gets much traffic, that perhaps, my art indeed was being used often without a benefit to me. Now this would be just fine if I was independently wealthy and didn’t want the credit. I need to rethink the “healer gives out freely from her heart.” I love creating but it really isn’t a hobby. I went to school for years training.
I did a google search on Designing Fairy and found someone using two of images from my site for free. Great publicity, yes, but a little freaky. They hadn’t asked permission. There was credit to my website and an invite to go to find great design tips (more free stuff). Here’s the link in question. I posted this on Facebook and many opinions were given. (Lots of different perspectives on a controversial topic). The even odder part–the work is a collage made from other artist’s works and was simply an color book assignment I created for students.
I love free publicity. It’s awesome. But the timing was funny. Here I was wondering if I should convert my DF blog into a website with clear intention, and then being led to find a situation I worried about. Message, perhaps?
Needless to say, I am combining my art over here with my writing. For the longest time I separated my more mainstream, designing self from my woo-woo, psychic self. No more. I am both parts. So, here is where you will find both art and the world of intuition. Enjoy.
Ronni's Psychic Room 
Hey there,
I am doing a similar thing Ronnie. I did not find your post until today. Like minds….
I think the healer/artist archetype unfortunately can go hand in hand. I know it’s something I have worked to move from shadow to light. It’s when our gifts begin to weigh too heavily in one direction that the shadow nature shows itself.
As for your artwork being used. I had a similar experience years ago with a beautiful goth image I took. It was being used in the most horrible places without credit. I finally removed it from the internet to protect the young woman who was photographed. It was such a tender and beautiful image, I was horrified to see it used in those ways.
As for the use of images, I am happy he gave you credit, it just would have been nice if he’d asked. I am considering putting my things on iStock. You might want to consider this and also putting a notice that says, “Please ask my permission first.” They probably still won’t, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Do you have a creative commons license up?
Hugs,
Sheri
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