That’s a drawing of me! It’s mine!

In April of last year I separated from my wife. For 6 months I rented a snowbird’s place in Winter Park. After being separated for more than a year, I went into mediation with my wife. The simple goal of the meeting with 3 lawyers and ourselves was to divide the assets we had built together over the years. The mediation lasted all day with my wife and her lawyer sequestered away in a separate room. When 5PM rolled around with the lawyers wanting to get home, she set a final demand. She wanted half of the sketchbooks that I had created since I started this blog in 2009. My lawyer was

stumped. What value could these sketchbooks have? There was a spreadsheet that divided up our assets. Her Porche was in her column, my Prius in mine. It was decided that my sketchbooks, my original works of art, should go on the spreadsheet opposite her jewelry. Negotiations broke down. I could not give up something that was so much a part of myself. There is also something called copyright which states that once an artist creates an image it is his. Certain reproduction rights can be sold, but the image remains the artists. The divorce will have to be settled in court.

Hurricane Maxine set me up on a date with an artist in town. Hurricane Mathew resulted in my lending my advice to this woman
about how to secure her yard items so they might not become missiles in
the high winds. I moved heavy items and secured the property. We rode
the storm out together. Over 6 months, this Hurricane Mathew relationship grew rocky as well. After we had gone our separate ways she decided that I owed her two prints of sketches that I had done of her in her home. I had already given her an original portrait for Christmas.That wasn’t enough. The sketches were of happier times that she wanted to keep.  She also wanted a signed copy of my book in return for some editing she had volunteered to do on my resume.  Why is it that any woman I meet starts demanding to take my work? I don’t get royalties for selling my book, so I would be paying the publisher wages I had earned by writing the book in the first place. Should I just start painting still lifes? Perhaps I should only be sketching cute cats and puppies, they seem very popular on social media and they offer unconditional love without needing to have the sketch. I’ve decided that people are too demanding a subject.

3 thoughts on “That’s a drawing of me! It’s mine!

  1. WOW… Draw some dogs, kitty cats, birds even a squirrel you obviously have a problem drawing/choosing the women in your life. Divorce is never easy, said 'I do' 4 times, signed 'I Don't ' 3 times… but none of them wanted my sketchbooks, I'd have burned them before turning them over… my work my choice.

  2. Sorry you've had bad luck in love. Next time have a pre-nup or even a pal-nup that species your art is off-limits.

  3. I am so sorry these women do not get it. The fact your ex wants your sketch books is beyond horrible. Ugh.

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