Buck Paulson

A telephone call today invited a flood of memories to surge forth. The person on the other end of the line asked whether or not I know a certain artist. After a few moments I recalled his having been in one of my California workshops.
The caller said that the other artist is showing a painting that must have been done in one of my workshops.

The painting, “FANTASEA,” (included in this blog) is indeed one of my all time masterpieces. I have taught it all over the country. Coincidentally a couple of artists in the South have taught it in workshops as being their original paintings. Well, I certainly want artists who take my workshops to be able to teach what they learn. However, it would be more ethical for them to give credit to the teacher rather than put them forth as THEIR originals.

Now the telephone conversation noted that the painting was being shown in a gallery. The showing of the “Fantasea” painting is misleading to the gallery owner and the buying public.

Have I ever copied a painting without the artist’s knowledge or permission? Yes, I have. It was done years ago in my naïve period. And I actually sold the painting. Do I feel bothered? Yes.

So, I can’t criticize anyone else can I?

By the way, I love George Inness, the Hudson-River landscape artist (see the previous blog). Claude Buck used to offer me compliments on my landscape efforts by saying, “THAT LOOKS LIKE AN INNESS.”

I even had a couple of TV artists paint pictures of mine on their programs. Fans have sent me pictures of the TV art along with the photo of my original.

I hope that you will continue to study other artists in learning new techniques. I hope that we all will be able to put forth inspired works influenced by other artists but which stand on their own merits..