No, you can't use photos without authorization (but you knew that right?)

I don’t usually like to gripe and complain (well I complain all of the time to my hubby, but try to avoid it on this forum!) but am very disheartened. I’ve spent the entire day contacting people and businesses around the world about the unauthorized use of my paintings on their websites.

‘Under A Blue Moon’ alone has 10 google pages of unauthorized use, including four entities trying to sell prints (companies from Germany, China, a couple with Arabic language); a Brazilian magazine using it in numerous articles; a Spanish University using it for a dance class advert; a gazillion Goddess / Women’s Fitness / Wellness / psychology website banners, retreat-advertising images etc. from every country under the moon (pardon the pun).

I’ve sent each of the more respectful ones a nice note telling them that I require a Licensing Use Agreement and, yes - payment! The most blatant abusers simply get a cease and desist as well as a formal Google / Pinterest / Facebook copyright infringement citation.
What’s so very, very hard to stomach — all of you content creators out there know exactly what I mean — is that there are so many people who don’t realize, or simply don’t care, how devastating this is for artists (not to mention illegal!). We don’t make a lot of money and our art, and the images of our art, are our livelihood! It is NEVER OK to screen shot a beautiful image and use it on-line!

(but you knew that didn’t you?!)

To all of the wonderful folks who’ve contacted me and paid for the use of my images – thank you, thank you, thank you for your integrity and respect! YOU are the reason I can continue creating art!