10/15/2026
I think itās time for a gentle reminder about the difference between inspiration and imitation.
This is something Iāve spoken about often over the years and itās a subject Iāll always feel passionate about. Iāll forever be an advocate for artists, their creativity, and the protection of their work.
Because there is a very real line between being inspired by someoneās art and deliberately replicating it. And that line matters.
Lately, it seems like every day Iām hearing about another artist whose work has been copied, reproduced, or sold by someone else. And now, with the growing accessibility of AI, thereās an entirely new layer to this conversation.
Artists are no longer just concerned about someone recreating their work by hand. Weāre now seeing people take an artistās original creations, feed them into AI programs, generate remarkably similar designs, and then claim or sell those creations as their own.
Using technology to replicate someoneās creativity doesnāt suddenly make it original.
Let me offer a little perspective into what goes into being an artist.
It takes years to refine a craft. Countless hours of learning, experimenting, making mistakes, starting over, and pushing ourselves creatively. Beyond mastering the technical side, we spend an enormous amount of time developing an artistic identity. A style that feels distinctly our own.
Creating something original takes imagination, intention, dedication, and a willingness to explore ideas that havenāt been done before. And bringing those ideas to life requires even more time and effort.
Many artists, myself included, create one-of-a-kind pieces. I intentionally choose not to replicate my own work exactly because I want every piece to hold its own identity and feel truly special to the person who owns it.
So when someone takes another artistās design and recreates it, whether by hand or through AI, it takes away from the originality, intention and countless hours that went into developing that work.
And quite frankly, itās disheartening.
But hereās the important distinction... Inspiration is not the problem.
Inspiration is a beautiful, necessary part of creativity. Iām inspired by other artists all the time. Sometimes itās a color palette, an interesting texture, a particular detail or simply the feeling a piece evokes.
But the beauty of inspiration is taking that spark and allowing it to evolve into something entirely your own. Not recreating what someone else has already imagined.
Thatās where true creativity lives.
This isnāt about discouraging creativity or telling people they canāt be inspired by others. Quite the opposite. Itās about encouraging MORE originality, more experimentation and more respect for the creative process.
So hereās my gentle reminder...
Be inspired. Be curious. Experiment. Explore. Create.
But please donāt mistake imitation for originality. And donāt assume that using AI to recreate someone elseās work somehow changes that distinction.
Take the inspiration and make something that is uniquely, unmistakably yours.
Because the world doesnāt need another version of someone elseās art. It needs to see what YOU are capable of creating.
As always, thank you for being here, for supporting independent artists, and for appreciating the time, heart and creativity behind what we do.
XOXO
Ryan
