Friday, August 10, 2007

Read And Learn !

Dont' Buy Fakes and Counterfeits
A recent letter to a local paper stated that it wasn't right that the performers at Thursday night's concert in the Plaza could not sell their Cd's when the art vendors were there selling all around. This is a good question . We had previously discussed this with City Public Affairs Director Paul Williamson. He told us that it violates the City ordinance banning commercial business done on public property. We said that since the bands are "for hire" the city can decide whatever they want, but that Cd's and DVDs are fully protected under the First Amendment. City Manager Harriss' personal friend and golfing partner "Prince Pele"had no difficulty selling T shirts and leis at his "Polynesian Revue" in this years first Plaza concert. Our legal counsel "Rhuemy Eye"Bob on the Plaza bench says,"Them that does the hiring can say yea or nay." If it is permitted then it should be uniform

Yes, a display of Cd's can appear on the Streets of St. Augustine. An illegal ordinance is no law at all. Counterfeits and copies are another matter. As artists we are very conscious of copyright and it's protections. Sometimes we get overzealous as we did on Quigley's painting last week. We respect copyrights.

While we are at it, we wonder why the police give a blind eye to the jewelry vendors starting to display and sell around us. They ride their bikes right past the displays that we are told ...the City approved. Don't get us wrong, we are for free enterprise but visual artists (painting, sculpture, prints and photographs) have been arrested fined and jailed recently because the works were not on "canvas or paper "(it was tapestry). The items offered were hair barrettes and two others were jewelry items.This selective enforcement has been the norm. We will address this in the courts at a later date. We know Mastrovincenzo vs N.Y.C. at least as well as you do. We introduced it to you.

4 comments:

  1. Oy-Vey!
    I was really 'miffed' when I saw people selling things other than art @ Thursday nights concert in the Plaza. I watched the ticketing officer of both SALA and the LEATHER SHAMAN just glance and keep peddling!
    I wanted so bad to go up and ask him WHY he was looking the other way at this violation, but was stopped by SALA. For she is a peace-keeper...

    As always I am sickened that I live in this southern Georgia town...oh that right we are is North Florida...my mistake! COME ON PEOPLE, give me a break! I wanted to know the reasoning behind this gross display of injustice. . .

    Is it the company the artist keep or is it just US??? Even worse, do they just not like our work?

    O wait, maybe the director of public affairs dosent think its OK to ticket people on such a "busy" plaza night. Shoot, they did hustle out all the homeless...
    IF THEY ONLY TOOK THAT KIND OF INITIATIVE EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK!!!

    ...another example of city officials "looking the other way" because they have something to gain. Im guessing that if the Plaza was full of homeless, like every other day of the week, or people were being ticketed, none of this would make Mr Williamson look good...and the concerts wouldnt be a 'success'...

    ...Im having ANOTHER headache!!!

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  2. Yes, I wonder how the musicians can stand the stench in the Gazebo. When Kyle Petty was there and they were doing their "Proclomation", I wonder if all he could think of was "get me outta this place, this is not the place I remember coming to visit!"

    I was standing 20 feet from the Gazebo and the stench made me nauseous. The entire Plaza smells like a community urinal. They didn't seem to be worried about the "brethren of the park" then, so what was the big occasion Thursday?

    I too saw the "craft" vendors set up without any interferance. Wonder how fast the word will spread about that.

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  3. P.S. I too was told by St. Augustine's finest that I could not sell my photo CD's. I said they are PHOTOS on a disc- NOPE, HAS TO BE ON PAPER I was told. I think they make judgements according to which way the wind blows that day.

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  4. I recall the "jewelry vendors" railing against the City Commission back in January. "We will sue!" "Our lawyers are ready" "We will fight!".What happened to their convictions? Misplaced I would say. As they told the visual artists,they would never consider working as we do for so little return.

    It seems that the clerks in the licensing office are giving out incorrect information.Ok,maybe referring to me as "the 'scraglly'one (we have our own moles*)was correct but guys, study up on the law. What you sayis illegal one day, legal the next and then illegal again is capricious.

    *brothers and sisters at City Hall.....Administrators, you may not be aware of this, but low level employees are sending in "provocatuers". Stirring up a citizen leading an "edgy" person (who believed that he was working in the City's best interests) to assault an artist because he is perceived to be making a "mockery" of the city is not constuctive.

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