Copyright and Originality

November 28, 2014

Celtic designs have an ancient heritage, but most of the designs on this site are original or are old designs re-worked for contemporary artistic use. Because Celtic Art often is used to make a link to the distant past it is often misunderstood that genuine designs can only be copied from antiquity. This is unfortunate because artistic integrity demands that the designer create a new manifestation of the art, unique to present times.

As a living art form, Celtic Art can only be sustained by pursuing the goal of mastery of the creative process that ultimately results in new and imaginative work. The work shown here is not an imitation of historical Celtic Art but rather an affirmation that new and original creations are authentic continuations of that artistic heritage.

The work illustrated on these pages represents the creative effort of Stephen Walker and various other craftsmen and designers. With the exceptions of several of the simplest knots, none of these designs should be considered public domain. It is commonly and wrongly supposed that all Celtic designs are ancient and therefore free from copyright restrictions. The truth is that new, traditionally correct designs often look as if they could be very old, but they are none-the-less intellectual property of the artist.