Art supply chain Michaels, artist Pose move to settle lawsuit

Michaels and Chicago artist Pose have moved to settle a federal lawsuit over the retailer’s use of his artwork in marketing materials for Ironlak spray paint, less than three months after the art supply chain filed the case in Texas.

The parties told the court they resolved their claims during an April 27 mediation before Judge Royal Furgeson and are drafting settlement documents.

In a joint filing, Michaels and Pose, whose legal name is Jordan Nickel, asked Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor to pause all deadlines for 45 days to finalize the agreement.

O’Connor granted the request on May 4 and ordered the parties to file dismissal papers by June 15. The order stayed all deadlines in the case, which was set for trial in April 2027.

Michaels filed the lawsuit on February 3 after receiving a January cease-and-desist letter from Nickel regarding the retailer's use of his artwork on listings for its spray paint. The company asked the court to declare it had not infringed Nickel’s copyrights, engaged in unfair competition, or violated state or federal law.

The dispute centered on artwork used to market Ironlak spray paint, which Michaels said it sold from June 2025 to January.

Michaels said in its complaint that it believed it had permission to use the artwork based on communications with AVT Paints, the Australian manufacturer behind Ironlak, and on Ironlak’s website continuing to use Pose’s artwork to market the product.

“During this time, AVT Paints represented that there was a sponsorship agreement in place between AVT Paints and Pose to use his artwork and Pose has never previously objected to its use,” Michaels said in its lawsuit.

Michaels also said Nickel did not contact AVT Paints to rescind the license or end the relationship before the retailer used the work. The company said it understood from AVT Paints and Ironlak’s website that it had permission to use the artwork in marketing the spray paint.

“Michaels had no intention of displaying artwork that it did not believe had been properly supplied and approved for product marketing purposes,” the company said.

Michaels said it removed the artwork after receiving the cease-and-desist letter, but alleged that Nickel continued to claim the retailer was infringing his rights.

Nickel had not filed an answer to the complaint before the settlement filing. The court had extended his deadline to respond to May 4, the same day O’Connor stayed the case pending settlement papers.

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