Happily, here’s a positive update from yesterday…
When contacted directly, Mary Rabakon was swift to take action and responded very pleasantly to my request. She’s temporarily removed things from her Etsy store, MaryT Designs, and requested clarification of what is and is not expected. This is what any ethical beader should do!
To summarize the basics, which Mary will be implementing shortly, I am happy to have beadweavers sell their own, handmade items that reference my designs, PROVIDED they include a clear attribution, including the book, Contemporary Geometric Beadwork, where appropriate. For example, something along the lines of “this work is based on a design by Christina Vandervlist (www.spiritbead.net) as seen in ‘Contemporary Geometric Beadwork’ (www.beadmobile.wordpress.com)”.
When listing your work for sale, whether in a gallery, shop, online or festival, it’s ALWAYS appropriate to credit the source. When unsure, contact the designer directly; many are quite content to have you sell your work (as we all need to feed the bead habit!) as long as they receive recognition for the design. However, since many bead designers are active teachers and / or authors, few are pleased if you sell directions or tutorials that closely follow their own design. It impacts on our living as this is, after all, a way we seek income, selling the fruits of our brains and hands.
In short, I am currently pleased with the resolution of things, and hope that my happy little island will once more be full of only happy pretty for the foreseeable future.
Happy Beadsday, all! *G*
