Let's Stop Art Thieves from Selling on Etsy

Scroll down to see images in which your artworks or the artworks from artists you know could have been stolen.

If you recognise any of the artworks, please share this article with the artist so that I can send them the link to the shop!

Or, if you are an artist and recognise your work on one of these images, message me on Instagram to receive the link or use the form in the article.

My poor *Ginger & Tea* was stolen T-T Do you recognise any of the artworks? Share this article with the artist!

my art got stolen and sold on etsy…

While I myself sell on Etsy… 🤣

On March 17th, I received an email from a kind follower informing me that one of my artworks had been stolen and sold on an Etsy shop.

The listing in question was a bundle including 360 (you read it right three hundreds sixty!) of different artworks in a maximalist colourful style, sold at a low price of 6.60€.

My poor baby Ginger & Tea was stolen and included among hundreds of other artworks for… I’ll write it again, 6.60€.

Basically, according to this shop, my painting was worth no more than 0.20 cents. Thank you very much!

I know the value of art is subjective, but THIS subjective? It’s a little too painful for me to cope, mind you?

The painting, which I imagined from my own fantasy of being surrounded by cats, painted with my own bare hands after rounds and rounds of trial and errors (yep, I’m dramatically asking for some sympathy haha), was stripped of all its story and artistic background.

Now I’m grumpy.

Free Printable Portrait Art - “Osaka People”

I recently went to Osaka and painted cool fashionable people. Here are the digital versions of what I painted in Japan. Printable up to A5 format. I hope you enjoy!

Download the bundle

Reporting the Copyright Infringement on Etsy

Upon discovering the theft, I contacted the shop owner and reported both the listing and the shop to the Etsy Copyright team.

The shop owner put the blame on her graphic designer, cleverly distancing herself from the copyright infringement, huh? She promised to delete my work from the listing, and so did, while also had the cheekiness to ask me not to report her listing. Quirky!

From the Etsy Copyright team, all the support I got was that the shop deleted the listing, so problem solved.

Even though the listing has since been deleted by the shop owner herself (fear of repercussion from Etsy maybe?), the shop is still standing, operating, and making more money than ever. We’re talking more than 3000 sales more since the day I discovered the theft on March 17th, totaling +12000 sales today.

10 people left a review on this specific listing, suggesting at least 20 persons purchased the bundle. Yet I did not give consent nor was I compensated. Do you recognise any of the artworks? Share this article with the artist!

Lack of Support from Etsy following the copyright infringement report

In all honesty, I can’t help but feel disappointed. It’s quite frustrating.

I get it, selling and marketing require hard work. I do.

And I am not big on Etsy, very faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from it even.

I have not been working enough on my shop to get it out there. But does this make it okay for bigger Etsy shops to steal from smaller creators and still not have to face consequences?

Etsy was a platform created for craft makers, so it feels like the system should at least support our kind of people more than the lying dropshippers or the thieves of digital products. Otherwise, how is that different from other online e-commerce platforms? That’s my two cents…

Despite having reported the copyright infringement from this shop to Etsy, the platform pretty much stood still, saying everything was fine since the listing was deleted.

In this situation, it’s hard not to believe that it’s because my shop is not bringing in enough money compared to the one who stole and sold my work. Aaaah, so self-centred of me!

Free Printable Vintage Floral Art Prints

A free colourful floral bundle to add a lively vibe with a cosy vintage touch to your personal space. The bundle includes 3 digital printable at 30x40 cm files

Download the bundle

Possibly more Art Theft Victims behind this etsy shop and similar

From now one, it’s going to be assumption.

This shop that did stole my artwork (I have proof m’kay?) sells bundles that include hundreds or thousands of different artworks, including those from contemporary artists (cough * Pawshire * cough).

How many of them did the owner or her so-called “graphic designer” create from scratch?

How many of them respect intellectual property?

The nature of these kinds of shops suggests that there are more artists victims of art theft on Etsy, from this specific shop and similar ones with the same business models.

I may be making assumptions, but my art DID get stolen by this shop and sold to at least tens of people without my consent or any kind compensation for my shop.

How do I know? There were 10 reviews from this specific bundle. Considering 10% to 25% leave a review, one can assume more than 20 people purchased this specific bundle that included my artwork BEFORE the infringement was discovered.

Do you recognise any of the artworks? Share this article with the artist!

Finding the real artists behind the artworks

Etsy may have decided to leave this shop alone, but I decided to take the matter into my own hands and find the original artists of some other potentially stolen artworks.

Below I will put some images I have from the shop.

If you know any of the artists behind the artworks, share this post with them, and I will send them the link to the shop that stole their work, so that they can proceed with reporting the infringement to Etsy.

I will also directly credit the artist on this post below the images on this article. It’s a small exposure, but that could help Google boost their discoverability. And mine too, two birds with one shot! ;D

If you think your work might have been stolen by this shop and want to check, DM on Instagram or fill out this form here to receive the link, or DM me on