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In this case, we're talking about fairy art on the web.

I have stumbled across some other fairy artists out there and read a few of their web pages in regards to their
self-proclaimed fairy art elite-hood.
And I say that with high respect and admiration, nothing despiteful intended here.
However, some of their statements disturb me a great deal.  So much, in fact, I have to write about it.

Fairies have been drawn/painted for centuries.  Why in the world would any of today's artists think they were the
first?
Just because they may have been some the first to publish their works on the internet, does not make them the
first artists of these creatures.

With that said, I call those artists first-to-the-web fairy artists, not the first fairy artists.

I've been sketching fantasy art since I was kid.  (And I think I'm older than most other of these fantasy artists I am
referring to.)
But in my upbringing by a strong Christian family, fairies were revealed as pagan and basically shunned.  So, I
didn't show my unicorns and fairies to very many people.

After I was already 34 years old, In 1998 I finally got a computer and internet.  Soon after, I discovered fairy art on
the web.  I won't name them here, because like I said, I am respectful, and they haven't named names.  I don't
know if I am one of the artists about whom they speak.  Regardless, I have an issue with the statements.
Certainly, I didn't copy any of their works, nor did I create fairies just because that was the "rave".
However, simply posting their works on the web, gave me the encouragement to get back to my fantasy art and
publish my art on the web.  I started publishing my works online around 2005.
That's it. Period.  So, I do thank them for that.

In essence, instead of thinking we (or whoever) are copy cats, it would be nice if the first-to-the-web fairy artists
would embrace us, new-to-the-web, fairy artists and welcome us to the internet with open arms.. or in this case..
open keyboards and monitors.  
With all due respect, I beg of them to cease the elite attitudes and I'd be grateful and pleased to speak with them,
if they so wish to discuss it.

I know there are some artists out there who do follow the latest rave or fad and create whatever is popular at the
moment.
But we need to encourage them to work on their own style and whatever genre suites their art best, rather than
assume the worst about them.
And it could be that most of those artists are learning, often times studying other artworks is how many of us have
learned.
After all, isn't imitation the most sincere form of flattery?
~ Fairy Art ~