slr2moons | You an American artist? Then you need to know about this.

I'm pretty much a zombie today, so I'm going to be to the point here. I know several of you are American and artists, so you definitely need to see this. Even if you aren't an artist, if you take photos and share them with anyone, then this has bearing on you, too.

Some money-grubbers are pushing a bill through congress that will make it incredibly easy to steal our artwork. Any form of visual artwork, be it painting, sketch, photo, animation, it doesn't matter. If it's a visual image of any sort, under this proposed copyright law change, someone will be able to steal it and use it without paying you a dime. Imagine opening TV Guide to see an advertisement for pet food with your candid camera pet pic as the centerpiece, used without your permission and without earning you anything.

It could happen if this law passes. Here is the overview, written by an independent animator I respect:

http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=Columns&article_no=3605&page=1

Here's the info link included at the end of that article:

http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/01_topics/article.php?searchterm=00185

I'm not sitting back and letting others take care of this problem. I earn my living b/c people want and need my art--and they pay me for it. My letter to my congressman is half-way written, and I am mailing it soon.