Kerson Publishing Company, The worst Image Pirate, SHOW SOME RESPECT!!!

Kerson Publishing Company used my artwork and removed my copyright watermark…I am beyond angry

I have to admit, I have been seeing fewer people using my artwork without permission. I have found a few youngsters using my art to promote a local music gig, I usually find them after the event has happened and after a quick exchange they understand that they should have enough respect to ask, then apologize. I have also had several Russian using my images of clothing, I have lots of problems with the Russians because they don’t respect USA copyright laws. They just don’t care..

This is why my most recent copyright violation is so perplexing, I really don’t have many places where this image is posted. Most sites on which it does appear show my painting with a watermark, the others were publicity for art show I participate in.

Here is one promotional image for a solo show with clear attributions

Inquisition II, was first shown at my 2014 Solo Exhibition at Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford FL

The other day I was looking on Amazon for books on Crows when this horribly designed book with my own artwork appeared on the screen “The Wisdom of the Crow” by Mary Two Crows…. interesting!!  When I opened the available pages, I found the sellers contact information, and with a quick google search I had the phone number. I scrolled further and every page had their copyright including the cover. Unbelievable!! I called the number, and someone answered. I introduced myself and told him I was the owner of the artwork used on the book “The Wisdom of the Crow”. I asked him why my artwork was on Mary Two Crow’s book. I asked to contact her and he said ” Oh, She is dead…I found it online, it didn’t have a copyright so I used it” I had been calm until that point, but his cavalier attitude did get me aggravate. I told him that just because it was found online does not make it his. He replied that he knows it isn’t his, but I replied that by using it without permission implies that he believed it was his property. Then it occurred to me… this guy is a publisher???  I asked him if he made any effort to find the rightful owner through google image search and he said he didn’t. The truth was he never bothered, the irony was the book has multiple copyright notices but absolutely no concern for my artwork. He said “I will remove it OK?”, that got me angrier because of his lack of concern. I again told him he needed to respect artists image and said again that he had no right to use it. Then he blurted out ” Look, what else do you want from me? I already said I would remove it, the else do you fucking want?” Then he hung up and blocked me…..this guy is clueless. I have many supporters on social media so I created a post with his contact information as well as Amazon and they soon started sending texts, phone calls, Amazon reviews, ect…

I gave him a few hours to remove his book. It is no longer “available for purchase”. However the Kindle version is still available, it is also available on Amazon International as well as on online bookstores linked to Amazon.  I want all the images gone, I do not want my artwork helping this company. I am requesting Amazon remove his books from their all of their sites.

Today I took a closer look at the book cover. He said he found my image online without a copyright. Almost all of these images of this painting have my watermarks, so I lined them up and realize that he had cut my name off the image and used Photoshop to cover the remaining copyright!! Absolute scum bag

clearly he cropped most of my name and used Photoshop to finish removing my copyright.

He knew that someone owned this image and removed my copyright.

He Lied.

William Kern, what a dirtbag you are!!

To answer Kerson Publishing Company”s question “what do you f#*cking want from me?

• First, ( I think I speak for all artist, musicians, performers, writer…) we want respect. If you need some artwork, hire an artist. If you can’t do that at least use google image search to find an image you like THEN do an Image Search to find the rightful owner. Ask permission.
• Second, give us credit. If you are a publisher on a shoestring budget offer artists prominent credits, perhaps on both the cover and then in the credits page. Even better offer to add a link to the artist’ work in the book and in any online advertising or publicity.
• Third, pay us what we are worth. Artwork helps sell CDs, Books, Concerts, and endless other items. Without our artwork, you are selling a blank page. Art is vitally important, pay an artist a fair wage, a royalty, use barter, or other form of exchange to assure an artist’s work is compensated.
• Fourth, Never remove someone’s copyright, you absolute worst kind of thief!!!

so….SHAME ON YOU Kerson Publishing, William Kern. Show artists some respect!!!

if you would like to voice your displeasure please write:

Kerson Publishing Company,

William & Jane Kern,  owners

6460 Convoy Court Space 65ct

San Diego, CA 92117

and because he was such a lying, dishonest, rude person, here is his phone number:

(858) 569-4044

Update: Amazon removed this book and closed William Kern’s account, banning him. I just had a phone conversation with Mr. Kern and he denied that he removed my copyright. He ended by swearing profusely at me again. The typical reaction of a guilty person. He also attempted to sell on Abebooks, and Books A Million, both have been removed from those sites, I have also been emailing him, he must have found me online and he realizes that I do have a lot of online presence. His tone has changed, he likely realized that he is legally in the wrong and is attempting to make amends. He insists that he received the image with my copyright removed and has failed to find it on his computer. I did catch him in a lie though. when I first called him he said that HE found online and it had no copyright. Now his is implying that the image was sent to him with the image removed. until he can produce proof that he used an image that was previously altered, I am no buying either story.