Bill Edwards on tue 23 oct 01
Hi,
Many thanks to all the wonderful comments and e.mails
to me. I know it is hard to convey all the facts so
each person can form full opinions but the fact is I
had materials removed from my office where I worked
the day before I left which included personal
information and a box that contained some formulations
that were highly held as trade secret by me.
They are as stated by a few so many glazes out there
that who knows when someone steals or takes another
persons glazes from them? How can that be proved?
If they had just appeared that would have been one
thing but to know they were removed from a locked
office where only a few people had access and also my
discovery of personal effects missing would imply a
good bit. (It was a bold move on their behalf)
Proof was another statement. Did I have merit that
they were being used or would be used? I do, and they
are making money on my efforts at this point and
operating a business based on my efforts in the glaze
part of it. The apprentice is question now is running
the show and those glazes are being made, its that
simple!
I like to trust people and most times I have glazes
available for the public. I am sure someone has at one
time or another made a glaze similar to mine and thats
fine too so long as the person using that glaze wants
to use the other persons and not mine unless
permission is granted for use of it. Companies usually
make glazes that they can claime ownership to and they
hold their materials and mixes in sceret as I have. I
am involved in writing a book as well as being a past
owner in another company that produced artist
colorants of another form. This time I used trust
becuase I had tired of not being able to open up and
free myself enough to enjoy my work. I aquired an
apprentice and made an agreement that I in fact did
own sole rights to the glazes and the apprentice said
she had no qualms at all with that and would respect
every detail of such information. That didn't hold
true, also the work of the glazes was not produced
while at my job nor on their comupters nor using
software they owned. Most all of it was in process way
prior to me taking the position and I have the details
on 3.5 floppies that out-date the time frame of all
this. I was just needing some added advice from people
who might have had some experience in these matters
and I found that many of you are highly educated and
extremely helpfull. I love my friends on clayart and
didn't step back just because I was the one that got
hit with something unique and dishonorable this round.
I placed this out to you for open commentary and have
grown exceedingly from the replies. This forum is
exactly the place I needed to come to at the moment
and I am much more inspired by the positive results
than any negative ones I recieved. However, All
replies were deeply appreciated and have brought my
attention to a higher level of understanding. I
suppose this was a new experience in trust and I now
must learn to deal with it one day at a time and see
to it that I do protect my property in every possible
way or be ready to work without any compensation of
any kind. I am flattered by those who imitate my work
but not as flattered when they manufacture it for
commercial gains. I make my living as an artist and
thus need to have some protection and say so over my
inventions and ideas.
Personally I can do a much better job next time out
and I can push myself one more step up the ladder. I
am motivated by you all and thank you sincerely for
the attention you have given to me. You are a great
bunch!!!
William Edwards
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Cindy Strnad on tue 23 oct 01
Dear Bill,
It sounds as if your apprentice robbed your locked
office. That is an entirely different
matter--beyond copyright/trade secret/etc. and
into criminal. It's probably too late at this
point, but the police should be involved in a
matter of this kind.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
cindy@earthen-vessels-pottery.com
http://www.earthen-vessels-pottery.com
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