Answers to Questions

Hi everyone - I want to thank you all for your comments on my last post.

Here are the answers to some of the questions in the comments section -

Yes, I did convo the person in question. She did reply to let me know that she had no idea the images were stolen - that she did indeed buy the banner and avatar from someone else on Etsy. That person's Etsy name is Tartsie, and it looks like their shop is empty.

I've contacted Tartsie, and I plan on contacting Etsy about it. However, I imagine Etsy can do nothing other than possibly kick Tartsie off Etsy if I can prove the banner/avatar came from them. I am not sure I can do that because the banner/avatar was a custom order.

To Alan - yes, I understand completely what you are saying. If someone bought my beads and took their own photo to use on their website, I would have no issue with it, unless they were insisting they made the beads themselves. That's still misrepresentation. I've only ever had that happen once, though. For the most part when this happens, people are using my own images to promote either their sales venue or their career as an artist.

Of course, if people are using my beads in their own work, that's completely different.It's an honor for me when I see my beads used in jewelry or other art.

Su - thank you for deciding to post about it on your blog - I appreciate that!

As for Jewlz076, she has asked for time to get another banner/avatar up, and I have decided to give her that time. It's not her fault someone was so unscrupulous as to sell her stolen images. It's my hope that she will ask whoever creates her banners to use images of her work - that would make the most sense.

And a heartfelt thank you goes out to the person who reported this to me - Angela. I really appreciate the time she took to look out for me. It was really kind of her.