- Report: #1358991
Complaint Review: The Conjure Shop - Omaha Nebraska
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The Conjure Shop
809 S 75th Street Omaha, 68114 Nebraska, USA
Phone:
(402) 884-5680
Web:
www.theconjureshop.com
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The Conjure Shop Mama Izzy, Mama Izzy's Hoodoo, Nicole McDermott Misrepresentation and infringement Omaha Nebraska
Report Attachments
This report is to provide facts and evidence about a “Hoodoo Rootworker” by the name of Mama Izzy, aka Nicole McDermott and her claims and practices.
Shall we look at who she claims to be. What we know – Nicole McDermott claims expertise in hoodoo and conjure. Her “experience” has been cause of much debate. On one hand, she claims lifelong learning and deep family roots in the “old way,” but then there are auto-biographies to contradict these claims.
In an article, written by Nicole McDermott, she claims “…the faith so deeply entwined with Conjure work has always been a part of my family and my life.” You can read this article at: coventrycreations.com/articles/guest-authors/41-blog-posts-to-be-sorted/880-detroit-hoodoo-month-mama-izzy-s-hoodoo.html
Then, we have an event description, written by Nicole, only two years earlier that state, “She has been "Working Roots"Hoodoo for the past couple of years and actually developed a product line, Mama Izzys Hoodoo. She received certification through the Lucky Mojo Correspondence course and teaches monthly classes on Hoodoo and Conjure.” You can read this at: meetup.com/UniQuest-Omaha/events/88838802/
So, sometime between 2013 and 2015, Nicole McDermott’s claims change. Take this as you wish, things just don’t add up.
Then we have the curious case of copyright infringement. Nicole will proudly claim all her custom candles and products, including labels, are her own creation and work. Many labels I find are direct copies of artwork and intellectual property. I will list a few with connected unattributed artists and attach pictures, but there are more than I have time to share.
Denise Alvarado, a well-known practitioner and author is one of these victims. Mainly, her St. Expedite artwork and graphics. Alvarado’s St. Expedite Veve (Sigil) is one such pieces. Nicole uses this sigil on fixed glass votive candles she claims is her own work. Both pictures of Alvarado’s copywrite work and “Mama Izzy’s” candles are posted below. Another example is Alvarado’s St. Expedite prayer candle graphic, clearly used on Nicole’s St. Expedite Horseshoe. Again, photos posted below.
Further examples include, Mama Izzy’s Hand of Glory Candle. Graphics stolen from a New Jersey tattoo artist and painter, Robert Ryan. occultvibrations.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/main-de-gloire-robert-ryan/
A Marie Laveau graphic stolen from an Atlanta author, James Caskey. jamesbcaskey.com/2013/08/voodoo-queen-marie-laveau-a-sample-of-the-haunted-history-of-new-orleans/
With plenty of other artwork taken for personal gain from places like DeviantArt.
Take all this as you will, but here are the cold, hard facts with corroborating evidence. Would you really place your spiritual needs in the hands of this person.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Mad as Hell
New Orleans,Louisiana,
USA
MORE STOLEN ART!
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, March 08, 2017
A personal friend is one of the victims named in this report. I am p!ssed! I can’t make sense of the arguments going on in the responses, and frankly I don’t care.
Theft is theft! End of story.
I looked at this thief Mama Izzy’s website and social media pages and she stole other art too.
She stole this image of St. Lucy from the DeviantArt artist cannibol:
http://cannibol.deviantart.com/art/Sankta-Lucia-or-st-lucy-189774481
Her Hand of Glory candle in the “candle wall” attachment is stolen directly from the metal band Powervice’s “Behold the Hand of Glory” album cover. http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Powervice/Behold_the_Hand_of_Glory/99002
The Ellegua candle looks like a close copy of Etsy artist’s Olgaayala’s Ellegua Necklace. There are more red and black beads added but that’s the only difference. https://www.etsy.com/listing/161274262/elegua-necklace
The “Heal My Broken Heart Candle” is based on “Broken Heart” by artist Angel007 at Deviant Art. http://angel007.deviantart.com/art/Broken-heart-37615226
The voodoo doll used on the binding oil label is stolen from the Mark and David Green piece called “Necromancer’s Amulet.” The website states that people can share an adapt the material IF appropriate credit is given, IF a link is provided to the license, and ONLY if NOT used for commercial purposes. Mama Izzy’s oil label does not appear to credit the artist and is used for commercial purposes. In the “candle wall” picture, there is also a candle version of this. The art piece can be viewed here: http://propnomicon.blogspot.com/2011/12/necromancers-amulet.html
Creative commons notice is here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Her “Devil’s Shoestring” label looks derivative of Denise Alvarado’s Devil’s Shoestring art. Not an exact copy but close. https://www.creolemoon.com/store/p346/Voodoo_Mama's_Devil's_Shoestring_Oil.html
Her copyright and legal notices are here: https://www.creolemoon.com/terms.html
Photos attached below.
Report Attachments
Doktor Grey-Ravyn
Colorado,USA
Rebuttal Laughable and Irrelevant to Accusations Levied Against Nicole McDermott
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, March 06, 2017
Yet here again someone is trying to draw attention away from the accusations made on Nicole McDermott's actions by dragging my name through the mud and here again I AM NOT THE ONE WHO FILED THIS REPORT! Furthermore in regards to the proof of Denise Alvarado's ownership of the said veve, the fact she has a copyright on that image is proof enough to prove Intellectual Ownership of that said image. Furthermore in regards to the report by The Santeria Church that has nothing to do with an accusation of theft of Intellectual property or copyright infringement. Nicole McDermott has been using that copyrighted image and many others without permission of any of the artists and has made quite a bit of profit off those copyrighted images claiming them as her own for over two years.
As for me not being Hispanic, Please, La Santisima Muerte is Death herself and Death does not care what race a person is. End of story. Truly amazing that the best rebuttal someone can come up with on this complaint of copyright infringement is to try and drag my name down with more accusation based on my beliefs rather than even remotely addressing the true complaints levied against Nicole McDermott in a intelligent way but then with all the misspelling of simple words in the rebuttal levied against me by this fool how intelligent can they possibly be? Also Nicki has on more than one occasion claimed Hoodoo Rootwork as something members of her family practiced for years. As for her claim on Christianity funny that such a devout Christian would work in a Metaphysical shop and then open one of her own.
I mean afterall Christians follow the Bible and every Christian faith over the globe condemns Magick of any kind. Also before any of you jump on spelling of Magick with a K, note that is a proper way to spell it when separating it's meaning from that of stage magic. But then most of the folk defending Nicole Mcdermott seem to be experts so then they must have already known that.
anonymous
Florida,USA
Copyright
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, March 05, 2017
Denise Alavarado is cultural appropriator. See Santeros Against Fraud and Exploitation santeriachurch.org/category/safe-alerts/
Sure the image is hers but where is proof it was copyrighted and where is proog Nikki did not have permission to use it?
As for the other images, if they are not copyrighted, then anyone can use the images.
Also, refer to the other reports about Roy Bradburn and how he plaferized the material he has put out as his in regards to Santisma Muerte he said he learned from his abuelita (means little Grandma in Spanish) and he is not even Hispanic at all. Yet the person who wrote this report won't say that as well. They also don't even provide any proof or references as to when and where he was initiated as a NOLA Voodoo Priest. Nobody in the NOLA Voodoo community even knows who he is. I thought the person who wrote the report does not like frauds?
The Faith Nikki is talking about is Christianity. She never claimed rootwork was ever apart her family's culture. Where is proof she did?
The report is saying that Nikki is not a real worker because she took the Lucky Mojo Curio Company's course. She never denied that. She continues to learn from people who have been raised in it. How do you think the other people in Omaha who say they are rootworkers learned? They took classes here and there, too. The person who wrote this report forgot that as well.
The report above is another failed attempt to discredit Nicole McDermott over petty BS. They are jealous of Nicole's success that she got on her own through hard work and dedication.
