The talented Jean Powers .......

It would seem that Ms. Jean Powers has really got the Beading World going right now with her current Blog Post......

If you've seen the Bead & Button Feb. '13 issue, you may have read the article (yes, another one!) on copyright thoughts by famous designers. The same issue included a pattern for a 'knock off' of an Elizabeth Taylor necklace. This bothered lots of beaders, including Jean Power. Jean has just published her take on the issue, and it is a long but good read for ALL beaders. Here's the link to her blog post:
http://www.jeanpower.com/blog/2013/04/19/
This has also been linked on her Facebook page where scads of beaders have also left their comments. Put the needle down for a bit and please read. Jeanne

And there has been considerable chatter on Yahoo Groups with our Beaddreamz group as well.  

I must say I commend Jean for bringing this to the fore front again.  When the February issue came out I did send an email to Bead and Button asking for clarification and I did recieve a response.  Not what I was looking for, but a response.   After that response, I pulled two pieces off of ETSY as I was unsure of how  to present them for sale.  I had purchased all patterns and yes or course, my peices were my interpretation and inspired by...........

I had always been an ardent follower of Sherry Serafini and other spectacular Bead Emboriderers but based on the content of the article, I was not inspired.  

Jean offers us this in her blog post:

I am not an expert on the law, and laws vary from country to country. but why not start your reading here on the US Copyright Offices FAQ page, especially the answer:

"Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work".

Or maybe here for a more bluntly written piece.

As always remember that anyone can put anything on the internet so if you want cold hard legal facts engage a lawyer.

Added to that consider that whilst it may be legal to copy something it may not mean it would be ethical to do so. A designer may not legally have a right to tell you not to sell work you have created using their instructions or kit but if they ask you to not do so that's an ethical dilemma for you to consider. Do you respect the wishes of the designer and not use what they have taught you again? Or do you respect the fact you have paid to learn something and feel you should be entitled to use that knowledge.

It's that quandry that this blog post is about. What I am mainly interested in is the ethics of designers expecting students/ purchasers of designs to not use that new knowledge after class. Is it ethical (or legal) to ask such a thing?

Spend some time reading this blog and the article in Bead and Button.  What are your thoughts on this? I would love to hear.......