That artist is Maria DeSimone Prascak, a Pittsburgh artist who paints murals, portraits and a variety of other works. She told KDKA that Walmart is allegedly selling her work on its website for $104 — without asking her first.
The painting in question is of a bunny, the inspiration coming from bunnies DeSimone Prascak saw in her yard in the South Side Slopes neighbourhood. She has painted a series of bunny pictures, which she sells via Etsy.
On Monday morning, a woman from Australia sent DeSimone Prascak a message, saying that Walmart appears to be selling one of her bunny paintings on its website. She checked the website to confirm, and saw what she claims is her painting. She signed the original painting but on the website there is no such signature.
“They stole my bunny, so I was like oh my gosh, then my blood started boiling,” she told KDKA.
She isn’t directly accusing Walmart of the theft — she thinks that someone likely lifted the Etsy image and then sent it to a Walmart manufacturer. She also said she recognized several other artists’ work on the website.
Right now, all prints under the same brand as the alleged stolen bunny picture are listed as out of stock on the Walmart website, and a Walmart spokesperson told KDKA that the company is looking into the matter.
DeSimone Prascak wonders how much money Walmart has made off of the sale, and hopes that it might face an audit and direct proceeds to her and any other artists whose work has allegedly been stolen.
Consumerist points out that this isn’t the first time Walmart has been in the news for art mishaps. Back in July, Walmart, Amazon and Sears pulled a poster from their stores that featured a sign from the Dachau concentration camp.
