“You did an amazing job! So beautiful. Rusty was psyched! We will keep you in mind for any future projects that come up.”
If yesterday’s surprise twist in the case of Rusty Surfboards Inc allegedly stiffing California’s Mural Queen Hanna Daly for fifteen gees – Rusty says Daly couldn’t provide written evidence of the mural’s approval – well, buckle in, little ones.
If you want to recap, click here.
While I generally eschew the right of reply, why ruin a good story or even slow it down with fairness, I sent Rusty attorney Gary Sirota’s handful of smoking bullets to Daly to see what she’d come back with.
First, Daly says she received an email from Jen Cassidy, their current General Manager, in July 2023 shortly after she’d completed the mural.
Hanna,
You did an amazing job! So beautiful. Rusty was psyched!
We will keep you in mind for any future projects that come up.
Hit us up and stop by if you’re ever down this way.
Will get a check out to you asap.
Jen.
Then, again from Jen Cassidy, in January 2025.
Like I had mentioned before, I came in after they already agreed to the mural. The management at that time didn’t budget the project properly, if at all.
Which, is absolutely NOT your responsibility, but unfortunately, became your problem. I am so sorry.
As for the mural’s location and the logo, Daly says, “those would be questions for the Rusty team. How I can say that they expressly asked for the R dot logo.”
Who commissioned the mural?
“The mural I painted was commissioned by Rusty surfboards. They had final approval on sketches.”
Who? Someone in marketing? CEO? MD? Was it a verbal agreement?
“It was a written agreement. I don’t want to give out any names. After the mural was painted, they fired everyone that worked at their company at the time. After that I only spoke with Jen Cassidy and never was the amount of the mural or contract ever disputed. They only issue was she claimed Rusty Surfboards didn’t have the funds to pay it.”
When Rusty apparel paid the invoice, Daly donated half the money to Surfrider and the rest to CAF Adaptive Surf Youth Program.
“I am not doing this for money,” writes Daly. “I am speaking up because businesses need to have dignity and pay artists.”
