It's never right to copy.

This my last post on the subject of copying and I would like to say a few things first to address some who feel that I have taken a simplistic approach.
First I am not a lawyer therefore what I am saying is my opinion only. Second I also realize that most Artists like myself when copied do not have the necessary funds to pursue the wrong doer in court so I write this from a moral stand point that it is wrong to copy.
I am an artist and I run Galleries and I make the stand that copied work is wrong and that Artists just should not do it.
If they do copy it just shows that they are not true Artists but painters who need to shine in the after glow of a talented Artist.
The issue of coping will probably never go away as long as people are prepared to do it.
Another complaint I have are Artists who go to weekend Art Workshops and paint one or two paintings under instruction from a notable Artist and get their help.
Then go and put those workshop paintings into a show and sell them, without any recognition of the Artist who taught them. Those images belong to the teacher and you need permission to sell them.
Most teachers do not pursue this as they want the work but that does not take away from the fact that the Artist does not own the image to sell. I know it sounds hard, “Yes but I painted the painting,” yes you did, under their instruction.
There is so much in life that you can paint and draw without having to copy other peoples work.
We all want every Artist to prosper and develop to their highest potential doing original Art work.
Producing original paintings that you created out of your own imagination and creative ability without having to use another Artists images is the true essence of the Artist.
Really it comes down to doing the right thing.
You can argue that its ok to do this or that with another Artists image but the bottom line is that people get hurt and that makes it wrong.
It is wrong to copy.