I personally think 3d models are digital sculpture; not paint, not brushes, or tools of any kind; but complete works in their own right. Even if they are just 'clay rendered', w/o textures. I view the softwares as the 'tools' of 3d art.
Meshes can be added onto, changed (morphed), painted, etc.; but the creative rights of the mesh remain with the modeler. They are covered by copyright laws too. For instance, you can make a texture for a DAZ figure and distribute the texture as you see fit (and it is copyrighted too); but you can't redistribute the mesh (or even any part of it). It is it's own work, and has just as much protection as the texture does.
Meshes can be stolen. Using a merchant's mesh that wasn't payed for is theft; the same as copying and using a commercial texture that you didn't pay for. Meshes are likened to property by copyright laws. Rightfully so, IMO.
I think it's silly to say that a texture painted onto a model is art; but the mesh itself is 'just a model'.
Other people might (and do) feel differently about it. I'm not about trying to change people's minds.

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