07/26/2026
I honestly didn’t think this was something I’d ever have to say… but here we are.
Owning a small business comes with its challenges, and thankfully I haven’t faced many (yet lol). One thing I’ve always tried to prioritize is communication and treating people with kindness.
I know my art style may not be for everyone, and that’s okay. There are several incredibly talented banner artists in our area (and hundreds more across the country). I genuinely support them because there’s more than enough work to go around, and no single artist can paint every banner that’s needed.
What I won’t compete with, though, is spending my time creating custom digital mockups for someone, sending them for approval, hearing how much they love the design… only to be ghosted and later see that mockup run through AI and printed elsewhere.
Let me be clear, I have absolutely nothing against printed banners. And honestly if you want to have an AI banner created GREAT but do not waste an artists time in the process. In fact, there are designs that are better suited for print than paint, and I’ve even created print-ready mockups for customers before. If that’s the direction you want to go, just tell me! I’m happy to have that conversation.
What isn’t okay is using an artist’s time, creativity, and design work to create a free custom concept that gets repurposed without permission.
Behind every mockup is time, creativity, revisions, and experience. Those designs don’t appear out of thin air.
Please respect artists and the work they put into bringing your vision to life. A little communication goes a long way.
Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. 🩷🎨