Brenda Pinnick -news, ideas, events and more...

When Creativity Knocks!

While in Anaheim last February attending the CHA show, I was invited to tape an episode of WHEN CREATIVITY KNOCKS, a fun new program which  teaches people different crafting projects and techniques. 

It was so much fun recording this! I think my early years performing in local theatre finally paid off! LOL.

Check it out and if you want to see my entire line of Sizzix products, visit their website. Just type in my name and it'll show you the whole new collection, now available in stores! My favorite? The cupcake holder, of course!

100th post give-a-way is...

Alison Drugan!!!

Alison lives in Kent but is originally from Yorkshire, England.

Alison won a one-of-a-kind painting that she and I will discuss and I will get busy working on. I'm so excited about this, can't wait to start. I will be posting it in progress and will be including tips, techniques, etc.

She did mention she has two cats, so I'm hoping that she will ask me to paint them! (hint).

Free to go...

Here's a close-up from a different painting which is shown in full in the "all cleaned up studio" photo gallery on the left side bar. It's one of my favorite paintings from this series. I've always loved birds and have been incorporating them into my art for many years. And then the cats just started showing up...hmmm.

My fantasy beach get-away

Don't you just love going to the beach? Here's my beach get-a-way! This is a partial of a much larger painting. Come back tomorrow to see some close ups!

Thanks for everyone's comments regarding the "BIG HAIRY ASSULT ON OUR RIGHTS", otherwise known as "orphan works". I appreciate the kind remarks very much. The Europeans are becoming very alarmed by this and are voicing their opposition! Yaaaay!

Orphan works illustration

urgent-OW

Urgent Action Plan for Orhpan Works Legislation

This about sums it up: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/opinion/lweb26artwork.html?ref=opinion Re “Little Orphan Artworks,” by Lawrence Lessig (Op-Ed, May 20): written by Ashley Benham San Francisco, May 21, 2008 "Two weeks ago, I graduated from college with a degree in illustration — a profession I have dreamed of pursuing my entire life, and one that would be ruined by the orphan works bills. Instead of hiring an artist or a photographer to create a unique image, the orphan works bills would allow a client to simply farm the Internet or other sources to find, and effectively steal, artwork. In this situation the artist is denied both the payment he deserves for his hard work, as well as the ability to keep practicing his vocation while sustaining a living. These bills would destroy not only the careers of many talented artists, but also the quality of the arts in our culture. When it is easier to steal and reuse old ideas and artworks to the point of obsolescence, who will encourage the search for beauty and innovation?"

Ashley, you stated this wonderfully. I applaud you and congratulate you on your graduation! We look forward to seeing you out here in the world of the working, law abiding, tax paying artists!

visit Ashley's website

Back from Surtex, WHEW!

Well, I'm back home and am trying to get back on track! Husband and I both got sick while in NY. Ha,

so glad we spent the money to stay right on TIMES SQUARE! It made for a nice view for him while lying in bed with a fever most of the day Tuesday. But, we had a great room with a comfy bed which is important when you don't feel good. And, it was close to plenty of dining choices. He's feeling much better and I'm still fighting it, but I'm grateful I didn't get it too bad until the last day, after my last meeting. I think I was determined not to! 

I had a really good show with lots of new potential licensing partners including a textile deal in the works! Yaaaay! I'll announce it officially when we've inked the deal. But I'm excited, it's a really nice company who puts out great product, worldwide. And I had meetings with some others who we've been working with for some additional product categories including giftbags, stationery products and a variety of other goods.

I showed a real diverse line this year which included several new collections, (coming soon to QVC as scrapbook products) and some new art for kids which may end up as gift bags. 

So, now the follow up and thank-you notes to get done. The follow-up is as much work as the pre-show planning but not as fun! 

I've decided to go to Washington DC with the Orphan Works Opposition Team to lobby our Senators to veto the bills. We all met while in NewYork and after hearing more about how this bill came about from Brad Holland, well, I'm more passionate than ever on this subject.

If you would like to help, here's what we're asking people to do:

send a postcard to your Senator's DISTRICT office, not the D.C. office. Use your art on it! Make it stand out with your creativity. They should simply say “Please vote NO on the Orphan Works bill--  H.R. 5889 for the House; S-2913 for the Senate” and signed with the persons name and contact information. No explanation necessary—just ‘Vote NO’. Again, the postcards need to be mailed to the DISTRICT OFFICES not the Washington DC office because mail sent toWashington gets scanned/screened and can takes over two weeks to get to the recipient while mail sent to the district office gets couriered to the Washington office the next day. Please disseminate this information to anyone and everyone you know,  as soon as possible. We’d like to have thousands of postcards waiting for our legislators before we go to visit them in a week and a half or so.

Here's a file for quick reference so you can be sure to meet USPS guidelines. Following this will ensure your postcard gets delivered in a timely manner. 

Thanks to everyone who has helped with this in the past and for your continued efforts. Just so you know,

I'm really looking forward to getting back to posting fun, crafty ideas and inspiration on this blog. But for now, I have to keep trying to spread the word so that artists like me can still make a living doing what they love. I'm doing this for all creatives, not just me.

card challenge

Here is the card sketch I did for Scrapbook Clubhouses' "celeb sketch extravaganza"
And here is my finished sample

I'd love to see what you come up with! Have fun!

off to New York!

I want to thank everyone who has sent me personal and public well wishes for my New York trip. Surtex is the big show for licensing art and surface designs and I have my goals set! Today is "spa" day...hair, mani, pedi, MASSAGE!!!! (which I really need).
I've been really stressed out over getting ready and fighting the Orphan Works bill. One Congressman commented during the sub-committee that "it's hard to vote against a bill that's named after orphans". ....strategy, I'm sure.

The thing about this bill is there is no reason it has to apply to commercial enterprises. That's the part that make so many believe there is an underlying force (google and Microsoft) pushing it through...there's BIG MONEY to be made here by "adapting" the "orphans". Someone's pockets are getting lined on this one and I'm pretty sure it's more than one. The bill was written in secret and rushed into the system at lightning speed. Even some congressmen have stated they are shocked at how fast this is moving.
Microsoft, BIll Gates, owns Corbis, one of the top "stock image" companies. They have MUCH to gain from this.

I'm looking forward to life getting back to normal and the day when I can quit talking about this bill, but for now, it's so important to keep spreading the word. Every letter helps and if you go to the link, it just takes 5 minutes. If you are not a US citizen, you can still send a letter, use the sample provided. The points in the bill are in violation of the international Berne Convention Copyright Laws.

From Cheryl Phelps

Cheryl Phelps has given me permission to print her comments made on a press release regarding Orphan Works. She has stated it so eloquently and further drives home the point we're trying to make heard. Read on;
Cheryl Phelps, Art Licensor, Art Licensing Consultant and Adjunct Professor at School of Visual Arts and FIT says,
"I have been a freelance, self employed Illustrator, Designer and Art Licensor for over 20 years. The "Orphan Works" legislation will greatly impact my own career as well as the careers of every Artist I know, teach and coach.

I count on the mutually favorable licensing contracts I make with companies that honestly license my artwork for use on their products. These are agreements that I enter into when we have both decided my work is great for their product and their product is a good fit with my art brand. This legislation sets about the potential to be forced to make licensing agreements with possible companies I never would have chosen to make such deals with.

In addition to limiting compensation to "reasonable fees" the impact of allowing an infringer to make derivatives of our work and continue selling them in the marketplace totally depletes our own art brands. The very essence of what makes us each unique and marketable can be copied and sold without just consequence. The law instead of providing us a sound legal remedy gives the infringer the upper hand. Legitimate companies know where to find us, there are trade shows, source books, web sites to acquire our art from. Why on Earth would I want to establish a contractual agreement for "reasonable fees" with a company who has infringed first, then tries to cut a deal only when caught?
How can I ever expect this manner of transaction could result in honest accounting and long term payment of royalties?

As an educator I can understand libraries and museums needing "Fair Use" access to my images. But, as an artist I will never agree that a potential infringer be given any easy out for using my work without my written permission. I wholeheartedly oppose the Orphan Works bill."

Cheryl Phelps
212-533-8236
http://www.cherylphelps.com

Cheryl asked me to include her contact information should anyone wish to contact her regarding this issue. Cheryl conducts ongoing coaching and workshops for people who are wanting to get into the art licensing industry.