Archive for June, 2008

mortal kombat

We’ve been working on our house a lot more recently, as well as outside in the front and back yard. More painting, fixing faucets, placing vent covers, installing solar walkway lights, buying a very large new post modern floor lamp, etc. I’ll get some new photos up sometime!

All working artists!

Below is very important information regarding the two bills in Congress dubbed the “Orphan Works Bill” that will radically change Copyright protection, if passed.

This was originally posted on the (New) Member Forum by Jon Hecker:

Time to write! Please take action now! These proposed changes to the copyright law affect YOU! I just sent three letters to my two Senators and district Congressional Representative. I laid out the moving story of how this bill would affect our livelihood. As independent artists, we receive no pension and we view ownership of our copyrights as our primary job security. It is critical that we as artists battle this proposed legislation.

In case you’re not too familiar with the issues at stake here, this webcast interview with Brad Holland about the Orphan Works act bill, offers insight to the ramifications of this bill if it should pass. The mp3 webcast interview about the Orphan Works act bill can be heard at:
http://www.sellyourtvconceptnow.com/orphan.html

The changes in the copyright laws proposed under the new “Orphan Works” bill have been released and it will affect your creative career!

Write your Reps and Senators.
Refer to Bill H.R. 5889 when writing a House Rep.
Refer to Bill S. 2913 when writing a Senator.
Same Orphan Works bill, different #’s for Senate and House.

Go to: capwiz.com/gag/dbq/officials to get the contact info for your state’s officials.

This affects all of us, painters, photographers and designers alike and is getting fast tracked to get through now.

Please take time to write! Fax or snail mail in addition to any emails you’d send too please.
A sample letters is below at the end of this email.

For more info on this matter go to: www.illustratorspartnership.org

This was posted by Stella on “The Art of Licensing” Yahoo group and sums up the consequences if this bill passes:

“If we do not stop BOTH Orphan Works Bills NOW-
It does not matter that you created it.
It does not matter that you have a copyright mark on it.
It does not matter that it is registered in the Library of Congress.
It does not matter that you signed it.
It does not matter that you put a big fat watermark across it.
It does not matter that you put digital signatures on it.
It does not matter if you get a lawyer- you will get a pittance determined by the offending company and no reimbursement for legal fees.
It does not matter even if you do as they demand and pay to register it in the new registries that they will form – there is no real punishment for using your work for profit.
It does not matter that you do not want your image used on a product or to promote an agenda.
They can even sell your prints and make money!”

From Illustrators Partnership and posted on the Art of Licensing Yahoo Group by Stella too:

Here is a sample letter you can edit and send to your local and/or state representatives and Senators. These letters work best when you make your point clear, do not curse, and make them aware that you live in their district or state and can vote for or against them.

Feel free to make this personal with your story on how the Orphan Works legislation will harm your income. Stories are incredibly powerful.

Faxes work better than e-mails, as e-mails are too easy to delete.

Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator (their name)
(their contact info)
Fax: (their fax number)

Re: The Orphan Works legislation Bill # (either H.R. 5889 or S. 2913 depending who you’re writing)

Dear (their name),

My name is (your name) and I live in (your city, state). After reading about the Orphan Works bill, I am shocked and outraged that this could happen in our country.

This Orphan Works legislation, if passed, will severely impact my income and life as an artist. Not only will it give license for others to legally steal and use my work for free, it will be virtually impossible for me to afford the time and money to register my creations in all the potential new registries.

(your personal story if you wish. It should show hardship under the new bill)

I strongly urge you to vote AGAINST the Orphan Works bill and protect my rights, my copyrights, to all that I have and will create.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

(your name)
(your address)

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERY ARTIST YOU KNOW! THANKS!!!

Thank you for joining with other creative image makers to get your voice heard!

Jon Hecker

And check this out www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqBZd0cP5Yc

hugging

I saw this on ICHC today and it reminded me to talk about the new piece David and I are working on.

David sent me the drawing he did on his break at work one day, with some of the lighting and shadows pieced in. I love that he can draw something like this, so accurate in the details of our living room, without looking at any photos just doodling at work for fun.

It will be a nice challenge to tackle the extreme lighting situation with the imaginative perspective as I keep painting this.

old vacation in crete

I dug up these old photos of my parents and I vacationing in Crete, Greece, it must have been around 1990. Oh, it was so gorgeous, pure perfection in every way. None of us remembered exactly which town we were in, but I have looked for clues in the photos, researched off and on, and now believe that we stayed in Georgioupolis.

There weren’t many tourists or large hotels at the time. It was absolutely quiet and peaceful. I remember seeing only a handful of cars the entire time we were there. Everyone walked, rode bikes or mopeds.

We stayed at a small family run hotel with an attached restaurant. There was also a private beach within a few minutes walk that the hotel owned. I remember loving the hotel owner’s giant handlebar mustache, and watching him go diving for fresh fish, octopus, and sea urchin for the private beach bar. His sons would clean the octopus on the large rocks jutting out of the water. He would talk to us and the other hotel patrons, make us all try raw sea urchin that he had just brought up from the water, and cut open as we were all standing there on the beach.

There are so many stories to tell from this trip, I remember them vividly and dream about them constantly. Knossos, the two old Greek men who played chess over bottles of honey, the old lady who crocheted outside and always smiled at us, the fishermen, the tall glasses of pure lemon juice they got me at the restaurants, an old lady who had a small garden across from the hotel with lovely giant squash flowers, amazing thick yogurt with vegetables, and more.

I have wanted to go back there ever since we left. I want to go back and never leave, to live in a small villa with ocean views among olive groves, grape vines, and citrus trees, to be close to nature and breath in the history of the area. It’s calling to me.

new vacation in san francisco

Four years ago I lived in San Francisco, and at the end of this month I will be going back for a visit! I look forward to enjoying the city, visiting places that I loved, and exploring new ones that I never did. David will be coming with me so it should be tons of fun.

Things I am expecting, and demanding from this trip:

• Many relaxing soaks in the Japanese style baths in our hotel
• Completely refueling my creative reserves by looking at art, LOTS OF ART
• Putting those creative juices to work by drawing a lot
• Eating amazing sushi and other great food that is not as abundant in Texas
• Maybe some shopping(!) at stores like H&M, which we don’t have in Austin
• Spending quality time with bff Rosie
• And giggling at the many sexy shops in the city

painting vases

I took the aqua spray paint that I used on the planters in the back yard and painted the vases on one of my bookshelves to brighten them up. I was tired of all the brown on brown.

Before

After, including the large post modern floor lamp that I purchased, and my Audrey Kawasaki “Claudia & the Coelacanth”.

Ah, and we have a new bonsai on the dining room buffet. He looks a lot better than our older bonsai… who might be dying. Damn these little trees, they are not easy to take care of.

disappointed in drawings

I am disappointed in myself because I am not drawing as much as I should be. I see my quick sketching skills going dormant and it is seriously embarrassing to look through my moleskin sketchbook. My line quality has diminished into rough chicken scratches that scream “LACK OF CONFIDENCE”.

I was so fortunate that my entire education was focused on building and growing my skills in art. I shouldn’t let it waste away. The only remedy is drawing constantly and always creating new artwork, so I finished a new quick illustration recently. I have to get back on track!

old cotton pants

Maybe it’s time to throw out those ultra comfortable cotton pants that have become ultra comfortable (and thin) because they have been worn and washed for too many years.