10/15/2026
I think it’s time for a gentle reminder about the difference between inspiration and imitation.
This is something I’ve spoken about often over the years and it’s a subject I’ll always feel passionate about. I’ll 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 someone’s art and deliberately replicating it. And that line matters.
Lately, it seems like every day I’m hearing about another artist whose work has been copied, reproduced, or sold by someone else. And now, with the growing accessibility of AI, there’s an entirely new layer to this conversation.
Artists are no longer just concerned about someone recreating their work by hand. We’re now seeing people take an artist’s 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 someone’s creativity doesn’t 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 haven’t 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 artist’s 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, it’s disheartening.
But here’s the important distinction... Inspiration is not the problem.
Inspiration is a beautiful, necessary part of creativity. I’m inspired by other artists all the time. Sometimes it’s 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.
That’s where true creativity lives.
This isn’t about discouraging creativity or telling people they can’t be inspired by others. Quite the opposite. It’s about encouraging MORE originality, more experimentation and more respect for the creative process.
So here’s my gentle reminder...
Be inspired. Be curious. Experiment. Explore. Create.
But please don’t mistake imitation for originality. And don’t assume that using AI to recreate someone else’s work somehow changes that distinction.
Take the inspiration and make something that is uniquely, unmistakably yours.
Because the world doesn’t need another version of someone else’s 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
