2/14/05 Sketch Artist

In my continuing battle to stay on top of my financial situation
and support myself as an artist, I responded to an ad on
Craig's List forwarded by a friend. It read:

Original URL: http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/crg/59477797.html
Posted by: anon-59477797@craigslist.org
Posted on: 2005-02-12, 2:08PM

Need approximately 10 differentb/w sketches of a Pierrot-type whitefaced clown for a short story/boutiquebook I am self publishing. FYI: White face clowns are conservative, withan all white face sometimes black hair and sometimes a hat. This clown hasa white costume with black buttons....this is more of a european, professionalclown, not a "bozo" type. The look is clean and simple and elegant.

so I replied, in good faith, thusly:

>Hello---
>
>Have you found anyone to draw these yet?
>I can do some sketches for you by monday afternoon.
>Sincerely,
>Tom Siler

Today, Valentines Day, I receive his response
(if you are a live caricature artist, like myself,
these are the kind of people you won't
let come closer to your drawing booth than 50 yards):

>>Subject: RE: Sketch Artist
>>Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 17:21:23 -0500
>>From: <glennbeatty at earthlink.net>
>>To: <tomsiler at tomsiler.com>

>>do one like this...........and we'lll talk.
>>
>>g

So I took a photo of my buddy, TOMMY ORRICO,

and responded for the last time to the "white-faced clownman" post with this rant:

>>>Subject: Re: one like this
>>>Date: Monday, February 14, 2005 7:53PM
>>>From:<tomsiler at tomsiler.com>
>>>To: <glennbeatty at earthlink.net>
>>>Hi again!
>>>I feel it's unethical to copy from otherpeople's work exactly,
>>>so I changed the clown's face to a fellowI
>>>know from Sparta, WI. He is known tothe
>>>children as "Orrico, le Pierrot"(seeattachment below).
>>>Maybe next you can do a book of the submissionsfrom
>>>each artist who answers your ad and titleit "Artist or Clown"?"

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