To Share or Not to Share

Are artists really secretive towards one another or do they share everything with one another? That is a tough question to answer.

Recently someone used my name without permission when trying to develop a relationship with a gallery. I was surprised when I found out. A short time before that, another person asked if they could borrow a few contact names for their mailing list from me. I declined to share the information with them and wondered why they did not have their own. A week or so after that, I was teaching a class in my studio and one of the students copied my piece which hung on the wall above her work station. I was once again shocked and disappointed that someone would not use their own thoughts and inspiration.

Someone told me once that a smart person knows when to keep quiet and they also know when to speak. The experience of each artist imparts the knowledge needed to succeed. I often remain quiet when I should speak and often speak when I should remain quiet. Each day is a learning experience and to know when to share and when not to share becomes more obvious with each situation.