Talk:E. M. Washington

Editing to validate forgery

Someone has once again edited this listing to validate the claims of this forger. The edits of Dec 15-27, 2007 are all vandalism!! User:Printguy —Preceding unsigned comment added by Printguy (talk • contribs) 19:47, 30 December 2007 (UTC)

Note

Washington Unmasked website is currently down (a parked domain); it can be accessed using Internet Archive. - Mike Rosoft (talk) 10:01, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

I've replaced the defunct link with a version preserved at the Internet Archive. —SlamDiego_←T 20:10, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

Reversion to earlier version

I nominated this article for speedier deletion as an attack page which was removed. I intend to re-nominate it at AFD unless it is improved to remove serious BLP concerns. In the interim, I have reverted to an older version. Capitalistroadster (talk) 10:28, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

It's not ever going to be appropriate to nominate an article for speedy deletion if it has already survived an AfD. (It is, however, often fair to subject an article to another AfD.)

I'm not sure at which version of this article you looked. It has been somehing of a football, with some editors outraged at Washington trying o push it in one direction, shills trying to push it in another, and some of us trying to hold it to the facts unvarnished.

The references of which I'm aware which are most important for BLP considerations are

1. “Catch Me If You Can” by Alan Abrams in Forbes 20 September 2004
2. “Warning! False M.C. Escher prints are being offered for sale!” at MCEscher.com
3. Images of the woodblocks

But, also, Washington Unmasked proves to be better than just “some guy with a website”; “reliable sources” treat it as a notable and reliable source, and it identifies some of the specific works by other artists that were the sources of Washington's prints. —SlamDiego_←T 21:05, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

Attacks on the article by Earl himself!

I note that all of the edits to-date from 66.91.58.100 are to this article, that they are designed to erase unfortunate truths and to promote Washington as a great talent [1] [2], and that 66.91.58.100 is in Hawai'i, whence Washington now claims to operate. (On this last point, see auction descriptions and seller location from eBay sales by e.m.washingtonthesource.) —SlamDiego_←T 22:43, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

Although the ISP of 209.244.62.x is itself based in Colorado, that IP address is actually based in Hawai'i. (Note how many of the edits not concerned with Washington have been concerned with things Hawai'ian.) So, once again, we surely have Washington himself (or a very proximate agent thereöf) hacking at the article. —SlamDiego_←T 18:32, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Ah! And an eBay search reveals an account “thomiswil”, also selling out of Hawai'i! —SlamDiego_←T 22:40, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I further note that the eBay account thomiswil participates in the E.M. Washington fraud. Note, for example, this auction. Under “Date of Creation:”, thomiswil has entered “1950-1969”. The real E.M. Washington was 7 years old in 1969, and had yet to begin his wood-block counterfeiting. Nor does the auction make any mention of the fraud. —SlamDiego_←T 16:59, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

That auction, which was for an Escher forgery, has been cancelled by eBay, as has another auction by thomiswil for an eBay forgery. The remaining Washington auction is for a swipe of an illustration by Brad Parker. It seems that the thomiswil account is being used to circumvent attempts to stop Washington's violations of copyright. —SlamDiego_←T 07:06, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

A checkuser has confirmed 209.244.62.x as -puppets of User:Thomiswil, and I have filed an incident notice. —SlamDiego_←T 17:30, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

Thomiswil has been blocked indefinitely. —SlamDiego_←T 19:08, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

Escher Lisencors Contacted

Thomiswil inserted a claim in the article that Washington “recently made a deal with the M.C. Escher Estate to sell all remaining blocks to them” (underscore mine); Escher.com has been queried about this claim. —12.72.71.102 (talk) 14:08, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

{{nofootnote}}

After a review of “Citing sources”, I have removed the {{nofootnote}} tag from the article. We do not want to drown the reader of this very brief article in foot-notes with would, for the most part, simply be to the Forbes article (which consolidates most of the material in the other references). If someone believes that a specific claim needs a specific citation, then he or she can either {{fact}}-tag the assertion or comment here (or, in most cases, just scan the Forbes and themselves insert a foot-note thereäfter). —SlamDiego_←T 17:57, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

As per apparent consensus, the article is now heavily footnoted (in spite of its brevity). —SlamDiego_←T 21:27, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

At the very least, I am very happy to see that this is no longer an advertisement for "Earl Washington"... though I think the question of whther these are actually woodcuts or merely photocopies remains. -User: Printguy, 15:21. 8 August 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Printguy (talk • contribs)

Well, I cannot be certain that there were no photocopies, but

• in his eBay listings, he shows actual cut blocks,
• his ex-girlfriend, who was important in his exposure, reports that blocks were cut,
• a lot of his work passed through the hands of people who should have been able to tell the difference (if it could be told at all), and
• the one Washington print that I own is at least good enough to fool my amateur eyes.

I think that if Washington used photocopying at any stage, it would have been in making images to transfer onto blocks before they were cut. Thus, for example, he might have made a photocopy from a book, and worked from the photocopy (by various means) to produce a block.

In any case, in the absence of actual evidence, the article itself should of course not speculate about possible use of photocopying. (Though it could report on speculation if the speculation were somehow notable.) —SlamDiego_←T 13:51, 9 August 2008 (UTC)

Washington Still Stealing!

Ha! Look at the discussion on SketchKult.com concerning Washngton expropriating the work of Brad Parker! Washington just won't quit stealing! —SlamDiego_←T 23:20, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

Geez! Read this auction description:

Now as for the genius "Parker" who penned this masterpiece, PLEASE DON'T TRIP THE FU_K OUT!! Consider this my resume. Perhaps we can collaborate on some other projects because your drawings stimulate me and they translate superbly to the woodcut medium (you know what that means $$$$$$$$$$$$$$). Of course I'll throw you some bucks for this gem so don't sick your litigious hounds on me. Like Gustave Dore' and Pannemaker did 150 years ago- we can put some incredible sh-t together.

Washington just feels entitled to swipe at will! —SlamDiego_←T 23:23, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

EMW on the move?

In eBay feedback time-stamped “Mar-08-08 11:03”, Washington reports that he is moving his studio from Hawai't to Kansas. —SlamDiego_←T 21:39, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

And the series of edits that resulted in these changes [3] were all made from Kansas City (Missouri) or thereabouts. (They got some crazy little women there and Earl is gonna get him one.) —SlamDiego_←T 18:07, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Again there has been a series of edits, which resulted in these changes [4], all made from Kansas City (Missouri) or thereabouts. —SlamDiego_←T 19:47, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

eBay Account Suspended

Washington's eBay account has been suspended. —SlamDiego_←T 23:04, 14 March 2008 (UTC)

Back on eBay, claim of forthcoming books and documentary

Earl has created a new eBay account, emwashingtonthesource (same name as the old one, except that he's dropped the periods). He plainly doesn't have eBay's permission to come back — the old account is still suspended. In his new auction descriptions, he gives yet another version of his story:

My name is Earl M. Washington (A.K.A. E.M. WASHINGTON) and if you Google (E.M.WASHINGTON WOODCUT) you will find many controversial and negative "biased" articles about who I was; whom I'm alleged to be and what some would like me to be. I am largely responsible for the initial confusion about E.M. WASHINGTON because 9 years ago I claimed to be the great grandson of my deceased great-grandfather named Earl Mack Washington (who was actually my uncle). At the time I lived in Venice Beach, California struggling to find my way as an artist/wood engraver by selling woodcuts on the boardwalk in front of the Sidewalk Cafe. In those lean days I was lucky if I made $20 per day.

As a completely self-taught wood engraver, I learned to engrave wood-blocks by copying wood engraved images from the 1920's 30's and 40's entirely by hand. I mastered one engraving tool at a time, engraving up to 17 hours per day (every single day) for about three years until I fully understood and could expertly use up to 100 different vintage engraving tools. I didn't copy woodcuts from the Master's because I was a counterfeiter or a forger as FORBES MAGAZINE would have the public believe, I copied woodcuts because that was the only way I "could" or knew how to engrave, there were no classes to teach wood engraving so I taught myself.

And he now claims

The facts of my "stranger than fiction" art career will eventually be detailed in an autobiography and television documentary titled "The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth". Also planned is a 260 page coffee table catalog raisonne of most of the 1700 wood-cuts that I have copied or re-engraved in the last decade.

I doubt that he'll get very far with the project of the books or documentary — his sneaking back onto eBay shows a level of desperation. But if any is created then it should probably be referenced in the article. —SlamDiego_←T 20:44, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

The auction descriptions invite buyers to call him at a number alleged to be that of his studio, but it proves to be for a real-estate developer! So, not only is Earl unable to afford a proper studio, but his apparent source of alternate income is in a market in grave difficulties. —SlamDiego_←T 21:40, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

The new eBay account has been shut-down. —SlamDiego_←T 17:59, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

Alexander King

I have been notified that some of the work recently sold by Washington on eBay is plagarized from the illustrations which were done by Alexander King for The Magic Island by W. B. Seabrook. (Washington hasn't even said that these illustrations are “after” King.) Washington may have also copied other illustrations by King. —SlamDiego_←T 12:06, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

"african american"

I am deleting the phrase "african american" because the race of the artist is neither important, nor relevant. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.64.40.3 (talk) 02:29, 1 January 2009 (UTC)

You're quite wrong. Washington's work was and is marketed (by him and by others) based in large part upon interest in African American artists qua African Americans. —SlamDiego_←T 03:10, 1 January 2009 (UTC)

Where's Grissom?

The eBay account emwashingtonthesource is no longer registered. On 13 February, an account fineprintarchives was created; it's pretty clearly Washington again, based on the items presently being sold, and the manner in which they are being pitched. Items are listed as being located in Las Vegas, and the account itself is listed as for a user located in Nevada.

It would be nice if we could get a “reliable source” to place Washington as now in the Las Vegas area.

BTW, some of the listings misrepresent when their prints were created. —SlamDiego_←T 11:03, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

Earls Washington

On 4 October 2005, in the Michigan Court of Wayne County, an Earl Marshawn Washington, born on 11 December 1954, was convicted on charges of receiving stolen property on 6 July 2005 worth more than $20 but less than $1000. (Case number 05007403.) This Earl Marshawn Washington was given probation and required to pay a fine.

Now the Earl Marshawn Washington who is the subject of this article was supposedly born in 1962, and from his pictures I'd say that an age of 54 is unlikely, but not perfectly impossible.

For now, we should presume that this is a different Earl Marshawn Washington. —SlamDiego_←T 17:45, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

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Media mention

This article was referenced in a New York Times article published in July 18, 2024.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/arts/earl-washington-woodblocks-art-fraud.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb

"But in 2020 Arbittier found a phone number that “River Seine” had given him featured in an online ad for a car being sold by a man named “Earl.” He subscribed to a public records search engine and found the same number came back to an Earl Washington who had lived in Hawaii, Las Vegas and Key West — all places River Seine had lived. And though there were lots of Earl Washingtons online, he discovered that one was the focus of an entire Wikipedia page. It described him as a forger."

jengod (talk) 18:46, 21 July 2024 (UTC)