Orphan Works Legislation

Illustrators and Photorgaphers existing copyright law is in serious danger. New legislation that Senators have proposed and support regarding orpahn works. Orphan works are basically old or unidentifable art or photos that after reasonable research cannot find the copyright owner. In a nutshell as I understand it, if your work is found on the internet, in print, as a photo, on a disc, or where ever and there is no credit or no way to find out the owner of the work is, then under this new law they would be able to use the work however they see fit. If by a miraculous event occurs and you are able to find out that someone used your work without permission and compensation there would not be a typical copy infringment case. They would simply pay you what THEY would seem apropriate for the use. This basically make the whole copyright law and protection of your work meaningless!

This legislation jeopardizes visual artists' copyrights and robs artists of income. We need to make sure that lawmakers hear from the people who will be hurt by these harmful changes to the 1976 Copyright Act. To do this effectively, all illustrators and photographers need to make their voices heard.

I urge all artists to act quickly to express your opposition to your Congressional representatives. I wouldn't ask unless it was vital. This is a make or break moment for artists, creative authorship, and the exclusive rights guaranteed to artists under U.S. Copyright Law and the Berne Convention.

More info and tools:
Graphic Artist Guild (GAG)PDF file
Illustrators Partnership (IPA) Forum Discussion
Assocaition of Media Photographers (ASMP) Tools for streamlining the fax process.
Orphan Works Debate - Webcast Video 2-24-06
On this page look under the horizontal rule line for the heading that says:
EVENT WEBCAST (Click Here)
Password: "ipclinic"
Click on the link, and enter the password.

For maximum impact, we urge visual rightsholders to fax letters on your letterhead. E-mails don't carry the same weight, and neither do form letters. Go to this link for an html version of the email from IPA which has a draft letter, names and fax numbers, and several other links.

Contact your home Legislators too:
Contact info for all Senators
To find your Representative's name, enter your state and zip code on this page
Then find the Representative's home page using the alphabetic list
The home page will have a "contact" link for fax numbers and other info.

Do it Now! I have!

Easy way write your congressmen about the Arts

Congress is now finalizing a bill that would have a major impact on the arts. Next week, House and Senate negotiators will start working out a final version of tax legislation that is theoretically designed to promote charitable giving, including giving to the arts. While the bill is large and complicated, the Senate version includes two provisions of particular importance: one that is very positive, and one that could have a negative effect on the arts and indeed on charities in general. Therefore, it is important for arts advocates to take action now to ensure that Congress includes the first provision and drops the second one.

Please fill out this quick form that first determines who you representatives are by your zip code and has a pre written letter that you can modify. After you fill in you address info it automatically sends them to your Reps. I've been sending letters/emails/faxes to my reps for a few years. I know it works because I get replies and actual letters back from them about the issues. Make you voice heard between the elections about the issues you care about!

Learn More About This.

Illustration Friday - Song

Sorry I can't do new peices. I'm so swamped with paying work and I have to pay the bills ya know. This was orginally a class assignment at Portfolio Center in 1994 about a outdoor concert. I wanted to give the effect of all the srage colors and a sense of a global audience. The constellations above where about the type of music. At the time I was into Enigma. Medium: Oil on board, and oil on color copies. About 11" x 17".

ACA Illustration Gallery Show

If you did not know already I have been teaching at the Atlanta College of Art since 2002. It has been great fun and this is ACA's last semester before they merge with Savannah College of Art and Design. I wanted to invite you to a special gallery opening of my students work at Atlanta College of Art. They all have been working hard creating some great work and we want to show it off. I'll be at the opening which is February 23rd at 6PM. Please see attached invite.

Who: Atlanta College of Art Illustration majors – mostly seniors
What: Gallery Show, Multitasking: The Fine Art of Illustration
When: Next Thursday, opening 6 PM February 23, 2005, February 23rd-March 1st,
Where: Atlanta College of Art, next to the High Museum, Gallery 100 on the first floor.
1280 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Go here for directions and parking info:
http://aca.edu/contact_directions.htm
Why: To see some cool illustrations from some great emerging talents, mingle, catch up and network.

Refreshments and drinks will be served. Come alone, with family, friends or whatever, just come!

Illustration Friday - Chair

Originally done for our New Years Eve party invitation way back in the late 1990's. It was a collaborative effort between my old roommate/illustrator/friend John Nelson. John did the tight pencil I did the final. Final is digital over an oil painting, 7" x 9" at 300 dpi.

The concept was to show the news years baby back to his old ways and not keeping any of his new years resolutions. I thought it was a good choice for the chair theme since it takes up most of the image and it's where the baby gives in to all his vices. How are you doing with your new years resolutions? I don't make resolutions at New Years I make them all through out the year.


detail view