Something has been really bothering me lately. Maybe i have a chip on my shoulder, i dont know. And i have been debating writing this post for a while now-and for my own sanity and for the sake of a good vent, im doing it.
There are some really successful (meaning lots of people read them) blogs out there. Does it bother anyone else that these design blogs, these "creative" people, are blog posts filled with links to other blogs of the actual creation...like from a magazine or to another blog? Why would i want to subscribe to 10 blogs that all link to the same thing? Its retarded and it bugs, big time. I mean every once in a while, its cool to see a post with a link to something saying "this is really cool..." but every post? And most of the time with no explanation as to why it was posted...and then calling yourself creative? There are lots of people who would be considered "creative types" if the only criteria was liking pretty things.
This brings me to my next vent. I know i am not the only person in the world who does high contrast paintings. I realize that there are other people out there who are talented and know how to do it as well. Fine. But if i know you, and you know me...and we are friends-its kind of mean to do the exact same thing i do...no? Am i out of line? There are a few people who have done this to me, and it just seems, well...kind of dishonest? I dont know if thats too harsh, but thats honestly how i feel. I have made headbands that i have seen on gossip girl...or at jcrew or anthropologie, and i always say "i got the idea from HERE" buy it there if you want...whatever. I dont think it would feel right to copy a friend and take the credit...and even then, its hurtful to not even be notified of it. To be doing my daily blog checkups and see a painting that is a mirror image of my work-kind of a blindside.
I was talking to a friend about this a few months ago when i first discovered someone i know doing this...and he said "thats really annoying. its like all those mormon mom bloggers who just because they have a canon rebel, they think they are all of a sudden a photographer" and i agree. It is basically like that.
This post isnt to those of you who i have worked on paintings with, or helped at all in the process with you, or even to those of you who said "shauna does these paintings, here is my version of her style." I guess i am just bugged with people who dont give credit where credit is due. Its just hurtful to work so hard at something, something that i really truly love doing, and then have people i know let all their friends tell them how amazingly creative they are.
Do i sound like a baby? WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
END OF RANT.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
maybe i am a tad emotional?
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16 comments:
i would be more worried but i'm sure you're just crazy because you're on your period.
love you,
Mom
by the way, the canon rebel comment...SOOOOO true!!! one of my friends, tho i love her dearly, all of a sudden thinks she's this professional photographer because she got a new camera.
by the way, that is such a mom comment. about being on your period? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
i think we should leave mean comments on that persons blog and tell them how creative they AREN'T.
p.s. i like your mom.
your paintings are good and im sorry youre sad....
why didn't we talk about this last night? you know how much i HATE blogs that are popular merely because they can copy a link to J Crew or Anthropologie or Domino. and what i hate even more is we know how mean and bratty these bloggers are in real life
Amy,
forgive me. you are an awesome mom and would never say something like that. i think you're really cool. thank you for giving birth to shauna.
rhyll
It sucks how some people are stupid...and I don't think you sound like a baby, I would feel the same way.
You're right on both accounts. Totally lame. I will never start painting like you.
Your not talking about the Little Shop of Shags etsy deal I started last week, are you? It had nothing to do with you; I just thought it was the perfect name for my one-of-a-kind, handstiched shag rugs.
If you come up with an idea and get it going, you have a head start. If you execute better than others, you could possibly make money at it.
Why can't a mom buy a camera and try a career with photography? America needs more than one photographer.
Because someone has a good idea to make a blog that links to other places and it brings in advertising revenue that's lame? How about brilliant? People don't make popular blogs, we make them popular by viewing them.
Is it lame that a friend stills your idea? Not really cause now you know that person wasn't a real friend. Or you could look at it like this, someone else is going to do the same thing as you eventually so why not have it be a friend.
Welcome to America and the American dream. Competition will kick you in the mouth many more times in your life but competition is good and will only make you and the rest of our country better.
You have a good thing going with a great talent. Run with it.
shauna, this is EXACTLY why i love your blog. you are real + honest and down to earth. i don't know you personally, but if i did i know i would love you to pieces.
the whole photographer comment had me cracking up! it's SO FREAKING TRUE! i hope i have never come across like that, omg i would die.
about the 'friend' that's copying you... they're lame. and obviously jealous. you have an awesome talent + basically, friends don't do that to eachother.
lastly, i LOVE the headbands that you have in your shop. obviously there are a zillion other people on etsy that are making headbands as well but i've looked at tons of them + not only are yours way cuter, but your prices are much more reasonable! i just haven't bought any because i don't know if i can pull off the headband look. i'm not hip and trendy like you ;)
love your mom's comment, she sounds rad.
the end.
ps. did you ever see my other comment about the bakers twine in bulk?
I totally agree with everything you wrote. One of my friends (who I actually really like) just started "one of those blogs" and asked me to advertise her new blog on my own. I didn't mind doing it because she's a good friend and I think she has better taste than most of the crappy "design" blogs out there, but it's true that they are EVERYWHERE.
Also, regarding the high-contrast paintings... that's also really annoying. There have been so many times when I have helped someone create something, like paint pictures for their babies' rooms, etc. and they gave me NO credit whatsoever. They just pretended they did the whole thing themselves, when I did the majority of it. LAME. By the way, I never ended up doing those projects I was talking to you about a few months ago. I have had zero time and I was too overwhelmed to start another project and I just gave up. I will just hire you when I want to have them done for my kids! Cool? Cool.
Sorry this comment is so long.
I think all of us would feel a little sting when someone gets credit for doing something that we may have inspired them to do. But hopefully it wouldn't last long because in the end, it's a bit self centered and therefore only hurts ourselves.
If you think about it, we really wouldn't have had much of an impressionist movement in painting if a group of friends (Monet, Renoir, Cezanne and Manet, etc) didn't inspire each other with different techniques and ideas.
Too often I think we can get caught up in "let the glory be mine!" instead of cheering others on and maybe being inspired by them. Synergy is awesome when we allow it to work in our lives.
For what it's worth - I think you do some very creative work! :)
man you and whitney both having issues with people not giving the credit....ha ha. but don't worry no one paints john stossel the way you do. you are so talented for reals and i am always bragging about how good your paintings are to my friends. so there's that. xoxo hurry back, we miss you.
you are crazy. CRAZZY.....and hey Amy, can Shauna come home so maybe I can see you? Great
I added both of your blogs to my Google Reader today, so I thought I'd read the back entries to get a little bit of background.
This is the oldest, and it makes me giggle that I found it on a day that my only post is a link to your blog.
I'm certainly not in the realm of "popular" blogs, and I do comment on what I find. I'm a fan of irony though, and thought I'd say something in the chance you do too!
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