A friend of mine is an artist and is trying to sell me one of her paintings for $60. Tbh, I don’t love the painting, and although I could technically afford it, it’s still $60 which I would rather not part with for this. She first brought up the idea before Christmas and I fobbed her off a bit by saying I needed the money for presents and we could revisit the idea in January. Now she’s brought it up again.
As a friend, she’s always been good to me, and generous with her time, has cooked for me a few times, given me little gifts, etc. I’ve tried to reciprocate by making time for her as well though I think if you broke our friendship down in terms of a financial spreadsheet (which I know is not the right way to look at a friendship, but still) I think you would find that she has put more money into it than I have, despite the fact that she’s generally more hard-up than I am.
AITA the asshole here for not wanting to buy the painting? Am I being a cheapskate? Should I just buy it in token of our friendship, even if I don’t particularly want it? I know I’m within my rights to not buy it but I still feel guilty about turning her down.
EDIT: Thanks for all the responses. I talked to her about it and agreed to buy a smaller piece from her for $25.
As an artist I would say NTA. You shouldn’t buy art unless you want to live with it. You could maybe ask her to paint something specially for you, although from experience, that can be a difficult and frustrating process for both artist and customer (when it goes well it’s great though) – is she talented enough that she could potentially do that? $60 isn’t much for original art, but you should be delighted with what you are getting. Disliking the work is a valid reason not to buy. If you value her friendship and want to help her, try commissioning a work.
Commissioning something from her is an interesting idea, I might consider it. Thanks for your response.
I’d say NTA, my partner is an artist and I sometimes buy art from her that I really like and want to hang up at home. She doesn’t expect me to buy her art and would certainly never ask me to buy any from her.
What made her think that you wanted the painting? Or did she just ask you to buy it?
NTA for not wanting to buy the painting, I don’t think someone should be telling you how to spend your money and I don’t think you should spend money out of guilt with how much money she has spend on you, I don’t think that’s fair.
I would maybe try put more effort into your friendship though.
Is it a particular painting she wants you to buy, or she just wants you to buy something? I wonder why she is pressing you at all, either way. I’m an artist, and I would never expect or ask a friend to buy my work.
NTA, but I am am curious why she is pushing this?
There’s a particular painting. I suspect as much as anything else, she could do with the money.
I would never want someone to pity buy my art, something they don’t love, no matter how broke I was. She’s put you in a very awkward situation, and that isn’t fair.
nta, you don’t have to buy her paintings. I don’t even have an inclination to sell the few I have because I like them way more than I like money. Haha.
It seems kinda weird she’s selling it to you in this way unless you’ve expressed that you like that one in particular or something?
If you’ve not done that and it’s just a painting she wants you to have, she should just give it to you. I appreciate she put time into it, but unless you’ve asked for it, demanding payment seems really weird.
I agree with the other poster suggesting that if you want to support her art, then you should commission her to paint something you want.
EDIT: NTA
NTA andI can understand the awkward place you’re in especially since she’s pushing you to buy, which isn’t exactly friendly.
I have a friend who is an artist, she started her venture 5 years ago after Covid inspired her to pursue her passions. I don’t particularly think her work is great but she’s a good friend so when her website launched I went on there to purchase something to show my support. She never asked or expected any friends to buy, that would have been weird. Most of her things were way out of my budget but I was able to get a tshirt print of one of her arts. It still sits inside the bag it arrived in, I know i’ll never wear it but that wasn’t why I got it, it was just my way of showing my support but within my means.
INFO: Why does she wants to sell it to you? Why does she think you should buy it? If she feels confident about her art work, she should sell it (maybe online) but not guilttripping a friend to buy it. Especially as I read stories here that friends like that tend to allways want to sell you their painting after that, thinking the friend will buy all of them (which will help no one in the long term)
Maybe tell her gently that you don’t want to make buisness with friends just because they want to. Maybe if you are able to, offer her to help her build a webpage or set up a profil at etsy so she can sell there and that you will link it on your social media accounts so she can get publicity
NTA, friends dont put each other in awkward situations like that. she knows damn well that you dont want to buy it but is still pressuring you because its been up on mercari and offerup for months with nobody wanting that crap
NTA
How crass of her to push a paining on someone.
I recently sold a friend some art that I made.
No, sorry, I gave it her for free because she’s my friend and I’m not trying to leech cash out of the people I care about.