You might not want to give your art to a good cause if...

[JL.Alfaro]

1. you are the kind of person that regrets not doing or doing a lot of things
2. You are greedy.
3. You are a winy beotch
LOS ANGELES — One of California's most popular specialty license plates — depicting the tail of a Pacific humpback whale rising out of misty waters — could soon become endangered itself.

Robert Wyland, the artist who created the pale blue image and gave it to the state more than a decade ago to help it raise money for marine programs, is now demanding 20 percent of any future revenue for his art foundation.

The license plate has generated nearly $40 million for the state since its introduction in 1997. Twenty percent in royalties would amount to about $750,000 per year.

Link to Story (http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/18/artist-says-hes-owed-whale-of-a-lot-of-money/)

on the other hand he does have a point regarding the way money is handled by the State...nah

[TASmith]

if he were smart he'd have demanded it from the get go. hell, even 5% royalties would be a nice yearly salary. Plus he wants it for an art foundation which is cool.

[JL.Alfaro]

Well thats what he says...for $175k a year, I'll say just about anything. But the thing is, he gave it away...and now that it has gotten well known and with a good cashflow-he wants it back, or at least the moola
"we wants it back the precious belongs to us" [/gollum voice]

[Justice Von Brandt]

This guy is pathetic, if your original deal didn't involve royalties then oh well for him. The money is going towards good things, if he is a clean water advocate.. then why is he complaining?

"And last Friday, the commission offered the foundation $100,000 a year for a decade."
That isn't a bad deal either.

[Anid Maro]

Saw that in the paper yesterday.

And this folks, is why knowing about contracts and how to make them is really important. If you might want reimbursement in the future, better get that in there... there's no changing of your mind allowed a decade down the road.

[J Wilson]

Man, I'm not sure what to think about that. on the one hand, if he donated it for the purpose that it raise money for marine programs, and the money generated is actually being used that way, then I'm not sure what his complaint is. On the other hand, if the state is rolling in extra revenue due to his generousity, (especially if all of it isn't being used as agreed) then certainly he should be compensated for their windfall based on his artwork. At the VERY least I'd hope he's eligible for a substancial tax credit for the donation that keeps giving year after year.

Boo to state Assemblyman Jared Huffman who said "I think it's better if the parties just part ways and we find a different whale tail." It sounds like he has little respect for artists, and thinks just any other rendition will be just as popular.

I've donated art and logos to causes I supported, and I guess I'd feel slightly cheated if they started pulling in millions based on my design. Maybe a good idea would be to stipulate before hand a time limit for useage after which it could go to renegotiation. Or maybe set it up where after it's earned a certain dollar amount a percentage is due back to the artist. Hmm, it's given me something to think about.

[stoph]

somebody smack that boy!

[arttorney]

"Donate" is "give" not "sell." A deal's a deal.

Dude should paint more whale tails and sell them as "whale tails from that guy who painted the one on all the surfer dude license plates." "Donate" doesn't necessarily give away the right for people to know who made the artwork. He could become the Thomas Kincaid of whale tails.

[Izi]

isn't Wyland the guy who ripped off Christian Riese Lassen's style?

read the article

what a dweeb....seriously no class at all...i would never take back art I gave somebody....

indian givers are the worst

[DeadlyFreeze]

Well if he agreed to let them use the art for 'marine programs' and the state is no longer doing such I would say hes within his rights.

[Heat]

dude read what ian mccaig went through to get his work

[Izi]

yeah that's just the thing - apparently the state is still using it to fund marine programs...

he just wants it to be funneled towards his organization

the whole thing is sleazy....

[TASmith]

he should offer some nice new license plate designs... for a small price. Maybe one of an artist holding a brush with a sunset and some palm trees. People who want to fund his art program can buy the plate.

[JessiBean]

Or a license plate full of win and lensflare. Would sell like hotcakes.


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