Copycat

I didn't think or perhaps prepare myself for one day I'd be accused of 'ripping off' another jeweler but it happened.  It's so disheartening and a struggle to push out the negativity but I'm getting there.  I've always been the kind of person that just keeps moving on, to not let the naysayers bring me down, and I'm going to keep on doing just that!

I'll flesh out this story with how I came across the beautiful crow claw my fiance found when he was a kid, he's kept it for over 15 years and thought perhaps I could do something with it.   I believe it was almost two years ago that I started making a pendant and ring with the wax models I had.  Of course, it didn't cross my mind that I was making something revolutionary, I couldn't have been the first one to think up using a crow claw in jewelry.  And I wasn't.  There are many jewelers on the internet that use all kinds of animal parts (humanely I hope) with their jewelry.  And I wouldn't think they were 'ripping me off' because I borrowed from nature, which I didn't create.

The Hunted: bronze crow claw ring with black tourmaline.

I want to tell you that it is the story, the image and idea behind my jewelry that I'd like the public to enjoy.  What I make is very much rooted in myth and story; animals are very interconnected to humans and sharing in this relationship is the mythology and history of how we interact with animals.  

It is really up to you whether or not you like the style and manner that I present my jewelry.

Now, I will take the stance that under no circumstances do I believe it is okay to directly 'copy' another artists or jewelers work.  And the public and you will see the difference between which is an original and which is a fake.  With that being said, there are many instances in a field, especially art, where one can see a similarity, a likeness but understand that each artist is unique in their presentation.  It is human nature to be influenced, but it stops when they consistently copy another person and try to present the entire body of work (that was copies) as their own.

I hope that this post helps you to distinguish between my jewelry and others.

Thanks for reading!

Pin It