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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

IT'S RANT TIME!!

I've talked about this a lot, because it's something I feel very passionate about. I'm going to talk about it more because it just keeps happening. No one seems to learn. Rantiness follows the jump.

It's NOT OK to claim that you are the inventor of something like putting sprinkles in resin. Let's take a little trip down tangent lane and talk about noodles. Just bare with me because this IS relevant. There was that whole thing about how Marco Polo brought back noodles from Asia to what became Italy like a BILLION years ago (OK so it was in the 1200s I think). Well that's not true. Sure, I wasn't there for the invention of noodles so I don't know exactly what went down but it's believed that noodles were not invented solely in Asia. Noodles were probably happening all over the world at roughly the same time. These people were all inventing noodles and none of them had any way of knowing that someone on the other side of the world was doing the same. There might not have been 6 billion people on Earth at the time but there were still LOTS of people using their big human brains to invent all kinds of shit. Every culture has it's own unique dishes but there are a lot of common denominators like noodles.  [I'm not trying to pick on one person specifically although I mention below that a specific person is annoying the crap out of me with their self righteousness.]

Sure, there are original people out there and people who just piggy back on the success of others. These leeches don't use any of their own creativity. They see something doing well and completely rip it off for their own personal profit. It's not OK but that's how business goes. Someone is always going to be ripping off your hard work and selling for less. It SUCKS. Thankfully it's never happened to me but if I ever do become successful at this jewelry making thing it very well might. It's not going to feel good but at the same time it'll mean I've created something WORTH imitating. It's sort of a right of passage. It means you've arrived.

The ugliest part isn't the copying. The truly awful stuff is when people who have an inflated sense of self importance go around bullying other people for using the same materials. There is one person specifically that I'm miffed at but there's no reason to start any kind of silliness. Anything I have to say isn't going to change this person's ideas or pop their inflated ego. I'm not writing this to start drama or hurt feelings. I'm writing this because this blog is my outlet. My boyfriend is probably very tired of hearing me rant about this subject but I need to get it out.

WHY can't people let go of pettiness like this? You were not the first person to put resin in a mold and I certainly won't be the last. You were not the first person to put candy in resin. It probably upsets me much more than it should but your claims are unfounded and ridiculous. If you were the FIRST PERSON EVER LIKE OMG to put candy in resin I want PROOF. If you can give me proof that ONE person in the WHOLE WORLD was responsible for this craze than I will STFU and never bitch about it again. Until then I am going to continue to believe that you've gotten too big for your britches and take everything you say with a massive dose of salt.

I still like the work of the person in question. I think I will continue to like their work, but I don't think it's the most original work ever and I don't think this person deserves to walk around with such an enormous head. Especially if they think they can go around pitching a fit at any person who also happens to use resin (which is a product available at ANY craft store along with molds. You know what molds are for? Making something that is the SAME, EVERY TIME. WOW.)

When you use commercial resin, commercial molds, stickers from Japan, candy that can be found in the grocery store, and glitter from the craft store you have very little right to go around shitting on other people. That includes me. I use stickers, candy, glitter, and resin too. A lot of people do. Unless I start making custom molds (and I don't mean just pressing some Japanese cabochon into silicone putty) I'm not going to bitch at everyone who uses a heart mold. The only thing you can do is try to interpret what's going on through the filter of your own creativity. I try to put myself, my ascetic into the pieces I make and I think that's all that it takes to be truly original. It's not about the materials, it's not about the mold or the candy. It's about what you do with them. It's about your INTENTION. If you make work intending to copy one one else's hard work then you're not doing anything new. If you look at something, get inspired and try to put your own spin on it then you're working your way to something new and different. Sometimes it takes many tries to create something original. For those of you who draw I'm sure you traced something you admired while you were a little kid. It helps you learn the motions so that you can change them. In art school we took many drawing from life classes because once you understand how things are put together you can change them to your liking to fit your personal ideal.

This has gone on long enough, and I think I've made my point to the best of my ability, especially when I'm still pretty ticked about it. I hope that if anyone is reading this they will take a minute and think about how things actually happen in the creative world. There are so many people making things that it's impossible to claim sole creative responsibility for an idea unless you somehow have documented proof that is indisputable! So in other words: Pics or it didn't happen. The end.

8 comments:

  1. Shit like that bugs the hell out of me... What about painters? Painters have imitated (although, I prefer inspired) each other for thousands of years. That's like a person saying "oh, you can't use paint because you're steeling (painters name here)'s idea"
    tell that person to go fuck themselves.

    p.s. I did a piece with candy in resin once (in 2006)

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  2. Oh Kasey, I adore you! If no one was ever influenced by anyone else nothing would ever get done! We wouldn't have cars or electricity. We wouldn't have Texmex, Cajun, or Chop Suey. It would be a sad, boring world for us. Actually we probably would have died out.

    It brightens my day to hear that you were doing candy in resin stuff in 2006. The person in question didn't start using resin until 2007. I knew that they weren't the inventor of embedding candy in resin but it's really nice to know that I'm right and they're not :D

    You should come to Boston! This place is boring and I want to talk art with someone! I'm working on a piece I'm planning to submit to Joint Collective's open call. If it gets in I have no idea how I'll set it up as I can't afford to fly down to SRQ for a couple days to set up... Maybe I can bribe Annie or Katie with some jewelry or cupcakes! Anyway I miss you! <3

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  3. hmm, I think I know who you mean. I Hope so otherwise it means its speading!
    xx
    p.s: This photo made me laugh far too much! Is the Pug yours?
    xx

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  4. I shall visit you very soon :). You can visit me too! We have what's called Beers & Tears every so often. It is where my fellow MFA'ers and I crits eachothers work while drinking a beer or two. You are welcome to come and bring some work as well! We'll crit it too! Woo Hoo! (you'll also have a free place to stay).

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  5. Kasey: I would love to come to your drunken crit sometime! I'm working on getting my license so maybe some time before your semester is over I could borrow the car for a weekend or something. I can't believe you're almost done with your MFA! I would be so anxious. I was excited to graduate from Ringling but now I miss it so bad it hurts.

    Stitches: You probably are thinking about the same person. I hope it's not spreading!! They complain a lot about people "stealing" from them an it annoys the crap out of me every time! I like their work but geez! It makes me sad when people who are at least 4 years older than I am act like whiny 15 year olds and lash out at people who don't deserve it. Also I'm not sure what pug picture you're talking about but I do have a pug. Her name is madeline. I even have a tattoo portrait of her on my left forearm! :D

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  6. Very well said, I couldn't agree with you more, for obvious reasons, lol. Some people love to destroy and not build up...I was soo upset and hurt, I could not believe that this type of mentality is still around. Especially in an artistic community, "where inspiration does make the world go round" :D

    oxoxo love ya!!! :)
    Kasey Lou Lindley...I couldn't of said it better myself, lol.

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  7. I know, jewellery is such a wide area that you're bound to find people with really similar techniques and items, just let your work speak for itself!
    I saw the picture in your flickr box (points upwards and to the right), She's adorable! I've got a pug/boston terrier cross and I've been thinking about a tattoo too.
    xx

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  8. Athina: I hope your ordeal with this person is over. Their attack on you was childish, unfounded, and rude. I hope that this person leaves you alone and gets over their need for attention or whatever it is that drives them to lash out at other people. I'm really sorry you had to go through that, especially on your own blog. It should be a safe place for you to express yourself and you shouldn't ever have to fear attacks from jerky people. I hope this doesn't get you down for too long and I really hope that it doesn't make you afraid to share with us! *hugs* Keep your chin up pretty lady!

    Stitches: I think "let your work speak for itself" is exactly right. If you're doing something truly original and worth noting then people will take notice! If you're spreading hatred people will also notice that. Personally I'm much more likely to buy from someone who I know will appreciate the sale and who has a positive attitude towards others. In this day and age where you're not just an anonymous artist it really counts how you interact with people. Sure this particular person has been doing very well on Etsy but Etsy is a very small community. There's a bigger world out there with people making things all the time. It doesn't pay to get a big head and it doesn't pay to treat other people badly. I don't want anything bad to happen to this person but it's upsetting that they have such a bad attitude. If more people knew they might not be so keen on that person's jewelry.

    Are boston/pug mixes called bugs? They should be! Sounds like a really cute mix! Does your dog oink? Mine oinks like a little pig. I call her piggy all the time. She snores SUPER loud too! I love my Maddy tattoo. The way I see it the only safe names to get tattooed on you are family and pets. You'll always love them even if they make you mad. I'm never going to break up with my dog! Boyfriends/girlfriends come and go but puppies are forever! If you do get a tattoo of your dog I would love to see it! :D

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