Communication Arts: Stolen - Whose work is it anyway?

I’ll never forget the first time my creative work was ripped-off. It was the summer of 2006. I discovered a designer was trying to claim credit for a brochure I had created. Actually, she was an acquaintance who had designed one page in the piece. But what she featured on her website was not her contribution but mine–my illustrations, cover art, and design–without any credit or explanation. I felt angry and violated. I sent a note requesting my design be removed immediately. Eventually, she agreed. But after a few frustrating emails, I realized the problem wasn’t so much malicious intent as it was her confusion about what she could rightfully claim as hers.It seems there are some blurred notions of what constitutes original work these days. It was brought to the forefront this past year in a viral story in which well-known independent artist Lisa Congdon publicly accused gift wholesaler Cody Foster & Co. of allegedly stealing her artwork, copying it for ornament designs and profiting by selling to large retailers. Soon after, however, compelling evidence was discovered that Congdon herself might have traced unlicensed photographs for the basis of her paintings.  Check out my full article in Communication Arts Magazine below: