Posts

Statement on the NL Renaissance Festival, AI Use, and Misconduct

-
Image
     I do not find the statement made by the NL Renaissance Festival sufficient in conveying any form of apology or accountability for either the usage of AI or the misconduct by the Festival’s social media.      Since publishing my article documenting the usage of AI by the Festival, I have received numerous reports from vendors and artists who have had parallel experiences of poor conduct with the Festival.           It has also been suggested that these experiences should be similarly documented in an ethical and professional manner to properly inform the public of the Festival’s misconduct towards various artists, artisans, and vendors.       However, after careful consideration of both my own platform, the events of the past week, and what actions could be taken next, I have decided to not pursue further investigation into the NL Renaissance Festival regarding its treatment of vendors and artists. ...
Read more

I Just Wanted a Local Ren Faire to Stop Using AI and the Founder Demanded I Create Marketing Materials for Them to Prove I Can Do It Better

-
Image
  Note on Updates: This post concerns events that are currently transpiring at time of writing. Updates and developments will be included as needed. Note on Sources: All of the information presented in this post was sourced by myself with consultation with close friends and artists who are affected by the use of AI. Discussions of legality and slander were sourced as clarifying answers and legal information and not as legal advice from counsel. A full collection of screenshots illustrating the various posts and comments has been included here via Drive . All names used are from public posts on Facebook that were quoted by the Festival as part of their response to these inquiries.  I will not bury the lede: the local ren faire based in Mount Pearl (known as “Mount Pearl Renaissance Festival” in their branding, “Renaissance Festival NL” and “NLRenaissanceFestival” on social media, and for the purposes of this essay, “the Festival”) has repeatedly used Generative AI images as par...
Read more

The First 100 - On Writing, Depression, and Expression

-
Image
Writer's Note: In this post I talk a lot about mental health, my personal issues, and how I use writing as a sort of coping mechanism. For clarity's sake, I must add that I also have a therapist and advocate for treatment both therapeutic and medicinal to help with these issues. You can't write your way out of ADHD, depression, or clinical anxiety. I believe it helps, but that's because it's a component of how I treat my mental health, not the sole solution I use.      I've always struggled with the mechanics of writing. Not with the medium or with creation as a whole to be clear. That ought to go without saying as someone who has gone to university for degrees in the field of History, has enjoyed creative writing in one way or another since they were a kid, and fully intends to find meaning and purpose in a life dedicated to the craft.      But whether it's due to my ADHD or simply the repetitive nature of the work, writing as a mechanical exercise is, lik...
Read more