Catherine Hillis: My Name Belongs To Me

"My Perspective" Watercolor by Catherine Hillis

I've been teaching quite a while now and I've never felt the need to create boundaries for students until now.  Recently, I've had a student begin teaching classes in my neighborhood, using my name as one of her credentials.  And, I've had a former student (who is now teaching art to adults) post one of her recent paintings on Facebook, using my name (I guess they call that tagging) and crediting me for teaching her the "technique."  This painting is not one that I want to be associated with, my friends.

Oy vey.

What to do.

There's not much in life that really belongs to me.  My name, however, is mine and after these many decades of working so hard to become a relatively proficient painter, and building a good business in art ( try building an art business, my friends:  it's hard) , I want my name used to advertise....ME.

My kids don't belong to me; my body doesn't do what I want it to - so I guess it doesn't  belong to me; most people's houses belong to a mortgage company; but, my name is mine....so far!

So, please don't use my name without my permission:  I don't want it used as one of your credentials AND  I don't want it used for something I may not want to be associated with.

Artists, your credentials are those things that YOU have accomplished and not those things someone else has accomplished.