🎨 The Cost of Exposure: When Sharing Isn’t Support

A few days ago, an aggregate art account on Instagram reposted one of my reels without asking. It was a personal, voice-led video, just me in my studio, talking about the San Francisco Bay and the painting I’d made in response to it.

They didn’t tag me.

They didn't invite me as a collaborator (amongst a host of other 'art accounts' they did invite)

They didn’t ask.

They didn’t even change the caption.

They just took the whole thing, my words, my art, my face, my voice, and reposted it as “content” for their page.

And unfortunately, this happens all the time.

What’s really going on here?

On the surface, these accounts look harmless. They post daily art “for inspiration.” They feature a rotating collection of work, often accompanied by a short quote or generic caption. At first glance, it looks like they’re celebrating artists.

But a closer look tells a different story.

Most of these pages are monetized. They’re collecting art from working, living artists and using it to drive traffic, engagement, and affiliate income, without permission, without pay, and without any meaningful credit. It’s not a collaboration. It’s a siphon.

And every time these accounts get liked or shared, it reinforces a model that undermines the very artists they claim to promote.

It’s not just frustrating, it’s extractive.

When a reel is reposted without consent, it removes the artist from their own work. It severs the relationship between viewer and creator. It strips away context, nuance, and connection, and instead turns original creative labor into generic content meant to boost someone else’s page.

Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s made in real time, by real people, under real conditions, and that effort is worth respecting.

What I did about it, and why I didn’t shrink

This time, I didn’t ignore it.

I commented directly and asked them to take it down. Kindly. Clearly. No drama. Just a boundary.

Because I no longer believe that silence is graceful.

Or that artists should be grateful just to be seen.

Or that the only way to grow is to play nice while others profit from your work.

This isn’t about calling anyone out, it’s about calling the industry up.

If you’re someone who follows art accounts like these:

• Take a moment to look for the original artist.

• If there’s no clear credit or tag, ask why.

• Better yet, follow and support the artist directly.

Even just liking, saving, or sharing the work from its original source makes a difference.

And if you’re a fellow artist:

You don’t have to justify why this feels bad.

You’re not too sensitive for caring.

You’re not “ungrateful” for expecting basic respect.

You are allowed to protect your signal.

Because your work is not just beautiful, it’s valuable.

And when someone tries to use it without permission, it’s okay to say:

No. Not like that. Not anymore.

🌀 I’d love to hear your thoughts:

Have you experienced this kind of IP or content extraction?

How do you respond when your work is used without credit?

🖼️ And if you’re looking to support artists more directly, come follow along at @lisaelley or explore my latest collection here.