Why we need to support and shop from artist, Saide Garcia!

Artist Saide Garcia!

Saide Garcia is a talented artist and illustrator who  lives in Los Angeles. If you are into Dia de los Muertos art and design, chances are you've seen her work. She is known for her whimsical skulls with swirly designs and blooming flowers! (By the way, if you read my Miss Scarlet novel, you'll see a character named Saide as a character, that name was inspired by this Saide! Saide is cool all the way around if you ask me!)

One of Saide's skulls, so cute! She makes dozens and dozens of designs!

 It turns out, we aren't the only ones who have admired her art. I was horrified this season to learn that it appears that Saide's art has been lifted and used on mass produced items without her consent.

These blankets and pillows were sold at a popular national linen chain, as well as a discount department store chain. I'm not saying anyone did anything - I'll let you decide from the pictures. Just sayin', you know?

Many people saw them and sent pictures to Saide, they all recognize her work!

Yes, she has contacted the manufacturer and is going through all the necessary steps. I can only imagine the headaches involved.

Saide's designs on mass produced pillows.

It's most every artist's dream to have a line of finished goods licensed and sold nationally, but on their terms, with a contract and royalty and all that good stuff. It sucks to work as a full-time artist and do the hustle to sell your work to try and get to that point only to have a big company swoop up what looks just like your exclusive work and mass produce them. I know from experience because the same thing happened to my husband, Patrick - twice.

We're not talking one artist using another artist's work on jewelry and selling them on eBay or Etsy, we're talking large manufacturing companies supposedly taking these images and making a full line of home decor and fashion accessories and profiting. It's heartbreaking to watch.

But it doesn't stop there. Saide's dilemma has tripled! Get this - not only did one company do this to her - two more did as well, all separate cases! A well-known discount clothing store chain used her work to make purses and coin bags, and another used her art in all the huge window displays in malls throughout the country.

Saide's art used as promo advertising for a store chain.

These days, Saide can't focus on enjoying life as a working artist because she has to raise funds for lawyers to help STOP what is happening, and hopefully get some kind of compensation.

HOW WE CAN HELP: Visit Saide's store and buy something! She actually has two stores that she restocks constantly. She is raising/using the funds to raise money to pay her lawyer fees.

Saide's Art and Black Willow Gallery.

Here is her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/saide

Here is her Twitter page: http://twitter.com/SaidesArt

 Thanks for reading through this. Any tips you see on her art being sold at store chains, message her at her Facebook page HERE. Her movement is OUR movement because as artists it's easy to see that this can happen to any of us!

Good luck, Saide, we are all rooting for you!