It's Fall in Texas!

I did some Fall Gathering on my run yesterday morning.  Fall in Northeast Texas is strange.  We have a lot of trees that stay green year round.  The ones that do lose their leaves have a tendency to just turn yellow then quickly to brown.  We don't get the gorgeous displays of leaves changing colors on a large scale.  I'm always excited to find trees that are turning the colors I associate with Autumn in my mind.  Growing up in Northeast Nevada, the leaves did turn colors and fall to ground.  They blanketed our yard, and Mom and Dad made us help with the raking and bagging of leaves.  Of course we raked big piles and ran jumping onto them with glee.  All to be raked again and again into mounds.  And eventually having to bag them. 

Here Fall weather comes and goes.  Cool one minute.  Hot the next.  The month will be spent in this transitional phase until the weather finally decides to stay cool.  I can't wait.

As is typical for this time of year, I am crazy busy.  I'm working on not stressing myself out.  And making it a priority to exercise regularly.  It's the thing I need most, and the first thing to fall by the wayside when I get this busy. 

I have been happily busy with custom work.  And a large earwire order.  There at least a dozen things I need to do for RMM that I've not done.  I am, as usual distracting myself with making jewelry.  I'm trying to concentrate on making a line of affordable, all silver, rings that could be used for stacking or worn alone.  I had the happiest of accidents the other day while working.  I managed to make the most amazing texture on the wire I'll be using for the ring bands.  I can't wait to share!  Maybe tomorrow or even later today....   :)

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I wasn't nervous about today.  Election day.  I'm not going to get political.  I personally hate politics with my art, and don't follow any artists who are blatantly political.  It just turns me off.  So take it as you will, but nonetheless I have butterflies in my stomach. 

I've seen recently a few friends making statements about their work being copied.  I, like everyone have an opinion on copying.  My opinion is that copying is most certainly going to happen.  I take it as a given.  That being said.  I've felt the stab.  And it does feel like a stab.  A great sinking feeling right smack in the center of your chest.  For me though there has to be absolutely no doubt that your artistic abilities were taken.  That means to me an 80% or more has to be exactly the same.  Not the use of an element, or a technique, or the same commercial findings, beads, stones etc.   These things are all readily available and NOBODY owns the right to think they should be able to use them exclusively.

In the case of at least one of these friends, I've seen the copy.  It was a 90% rip off of this fabulous artist who has spent years refining her amazing style.  An artist who works from raw material and brought that design to life with her heart and hands.  I could feel her pain when she saw the copy.
I don't know.... it's a subject that will never go away.  It continues to rise and sink in my mind.

If you haven't yet, go exercise your right to vote!  See you all again soon....