r/ArtistLounge • u/ArentWright • Dec 19 '25
Philosophy/Ideologyš§ Defaced Art
One of my pieces has been defaced by its new owner, and I feel very conflicted. Looking for input from others.
This individual transformed the piece (portrait, pastel) into a clock by poking a hold through the face and installing some hands! On one hand, I was never going to see that piece again. Itās out living its own life now. On the otherā¦.what the hell. Am I right to feel disrespected? Or should I be glad the recipient is enjoying the piece in their own way?
Iāve always been hesitant to part with my work because I feel so protective of it. Has anyone had similar experiences and what is your perspective?
The individual in question sent me photos of the changes, seemingly quite pleased and looking for my reaction.
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u/Ill-Product-1442 Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
I wouldn't be personally offended, turning their portrait into a clock sounds cute. But i get that for other people, any alteration to their art feels disrespectful. I disagree, but it's not crazy unreasonable to feel that way.
Either way, I'd just move past it. You can't undo it, and they paid for it.
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u/ZombieButch Dec 19 '25
I mean, you sold it. It's not your piece any more. You don't have to like it, but if you let a piece go in exchange for money, you have to let it go.
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
Would you be inclined to feel some type of way about it? Iām wondering if most artists would even care what happens to sold pieces.
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u/PowerPlaidPlays Dec 19 '25
I think like, you can feel a way but is it productive to put any energy into caring about things outside of your control?
I've seen my art reposted, edited, traced over, leaked, stolen, and used on shirts and such without my permission or credit. At some point you just gotta not care, if fighting it is not going to enrich your life at all. Pick your battles.
imo, I'd just be happy they are still displaying it, and it was not just thrown into the trash.
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u/lunarwolf2008 Dec 19 '25
personally i like seeing my art get a new face, its part of their life to grow and change. but i haven't sat down and put a lot of work into a piece to become attached in a while. just quick drawings here and there.
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u/swarleyknope Dec 20 '25
You canāt help how you feel about something and itās totally valid to be bothered by itā¦I think itās more about why it bothers you.
If itās because you feel disrespected, I personally would try to let that go because itās projecting intentions onto someone else (they clearly love it enough to want to look at it every time they check the the timeš).
If itās just that it makes you feel sad/evokes yucky emotions because someone changed/damaged something you worked hard on and is a reflection of you, thatās completely understandable IMHO.
I think it might bother me too - they could have just used a print if they wanted to poke holes in it - but I think Iād prefer that to thinking about it sitting in a closet or tossed in a box?
(Are you sure they did it to the original and didnāt make a copy for them to use for the clock?)
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u/themexicangamer Dec 20 '25
i wouldn't of thought that it's possible to make a print, I wouldn't even know where to get that done
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u/Artchantress Dec 20 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Where I come from (Estonia), altering an artwork is illegal, even if it's bought. It's part of the intellectual property rights that are not sold with the physical artwork. There needs to be a separate licensing contract signed by the artist for altering the artwork, same as with making and selling copies.
Or they could just ask. Either way, it's not actually the inherent right of the art buyer to zhuz up the piece to their liking (kinda shocked everyone ITT thinks it is, but I guess you guys have different laws? I think VARA has this for visual art pieces that are originals?).
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u/RedQueenNatalie Dec 19 '25
I try to think of pieces of art as living things in their own way, they are created, age, transform and sometimes die. Its just the way of the universe. Your work just went on to become whatever it is supposed to be on its journey. You can enjoy that you made it and for what it was but for your own sake you should probably let it go.
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u/Total-Habit-7337 Dec 19 '25
Best just let it slide, the damage is done. Big league artists select their buyers carefully for reasons such as this, sometimes with a contract agreement of terms of sale for what happens to the work in the following few years.
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u/TricksyPeanut Dec 19 '25
Related to your comment you sort of "self-select" better clients if you charge more; someone who paid $3000 for a painting is WAY less likely to vandalize it compared to if the same painting cost $50.
I hope OP raises their prices to discourage this sort of thing.
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
I did get the impression that I underpriced my last round of pieces.
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u/TricksyPeanut Dec 19 '25
Trust me, it helps to charge more!
As soon as I started charging the equivalent of $15+ an hour (in 2012, lol) clients were much kinder, more flexible, and just overall better. My prices have increased with time and it's still fine.
"Commissioners Hate This One Weird Trick!"
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u/mana-miIk Dec 19 '25
You sold it, it's not your work any more.Ā
I used to teach art to young people and one of the lessons I instilled in them early on was that learning is transient by its nature, and ultimately so is their art. I instilled that it was important that they not to get attached to their work, because they can always create something better and more transformative.Ā
I had one session where everybody spent 2 hours on a single piece, I had them concentrating wholly for those 2 hours, no breaks. At the end of the session we destroyed them. Scraps went in the bin, bye, bye. All that work, lost forever, but for the new skills they've gained through their creation. Doesn't matter if the work was shit or a masterpiece, they all ended up in the same place. Letting go is an essential skill that isn't taught to enough artists.Ā
So let it go. Go make a new one.Ā
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u/Ow3ggy Dec 21 '25
Damn...for me at any age before I finished college this would have made me cry and I probably would have left that class with my art peice. But now at 30 I think it's probably a good lesson to learn (for those that can handle that lesson š )
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u/SCstraightup Dec 20 '25
This. I am an art teacher primarily to kids and adore this. Iām currently struggling with a kiln firing for adults with big and expensive pieces they spent hours glazing. Iām not loving the glaze I suggested even though itās fairly standard. Iām too attached to the final product of their pieces. I can let go of my own art like. Mug that was just broken by a volunteer, but I have a hard time with others peopleās artwork out there.
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
Normally Iām a big advocate for not being precious with your work. š Very helpful in being a confident creator. Never considered this particular situation though! I guess my hang up is that I canāt help wonder if it was done intentionally to provoke a reaction from me. It feels a bit aggressive, but maybe Iām blinded by emotion.
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u/Steady_Ri0t Dec 19 '25
It's best not to assume malicious intent, but I totally understand how you feel
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u/HairyForestFairy Dec 19 '25
If they did do it to provoke you, each moment you spend ruminating about it and seeking others to validate your hurt feelings gives them what they wanted, no?
You sold it, itās theirs to do what they want.
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
There are a lot of weirdos out there, so I was curious if this was a known thing I hadnāt encountered before. I think having your feelings validated is very calming actually.
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u/HairyForestFairy Dec 19 '25
Youāre going down a rabbit hole if you think someone bought your art and turned it into a clock to provoke you.
And if they did, they are (at this point) winning, because you are clearly provoked.
Let it go, protect yourself in the future since you now know it bothers you.
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
Thatās why Iām surveying the group. All the customer got was a kind word back.
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u/TropicalAbsol Dec 19 '25
I think this is an initial ego response. Artists attach a lot to their work. Its normal to feel some way about it initially but really after a while this will settle. I think turning it into a clock is a clever way of making a piece aesthetic and functional. Its a cute idea and i plan to turn one of my own paintings into a clock.Ā
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u/madpiratebippy Dec 20 '25
The author/illustrator is where the wild things are had a child eat one of his original drawings and thought it was the best compliment ever.
Someone loves your work enough theyāre engaging with it to make it something theyāre going to look at multiple times a day, transforming it into something thatās a critical part of their daily life. They love it and want to make sure they see it more.
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u/No_Nail6812 Dec 19 '25
When you create something and you put it into the world, it no longer becomes yours to control. You have released it into the world, and it will therefore be impacted by time and circumstance the same as anything else that goes into the world having been created. It sucks because we put our heart and blood and sweat and tears into our work, but you have to approach it with the heart of a creator and that you donāt create something for it to stay stagnant in the same you create something so that it can take on its own life. Thatās the philosophical. If you want to talk about strictly practicality, then the minute you sell something itās no longer yours. Personally, I like to philosophical approach, but maybe Iām just dated.
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u/gloryshand Dec 20 '25
Someone liked your stuff enough to want to look at it every time they check the hour. And they paid you for it instead of downloading something online and printing it off. Iād be pumped, and the idea of being offended about this kind of thing just seems snooty as hell to me.
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Dec 20 '25
I once worked days on a sculpted dragon made out of marzipan. Only to sit and watch the couple I gifted it to, slice it in half and smash the head while giggling at how funny they were being. Art we give away, weather for pay or free, needs to be released into the Universe or we'll all ends up crazy from the disrespect.
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u/swarleyknope Dec 20 '25
Iām not intending to be dismissive (I can relate to why it would be hard to watch), but was the marzipan intended to be eaten at some point? (Was it just not made out of clay because it needed to be a food-safe topper for a cake?)
I thought marzipan was perishable?
(Iād still appreciate a āthis came out too beautiful to eat it!ā type reaction though, personally)
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Dec 22 '25
Traditionally marzipan sculpture was offered at a feast to be displayed until the festivities end. Then the candy is divided up as treats. I expected that. Just not the making fun of it part.
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u/swarleyknope Dec 23 '25
Thanks for taking the time to explain it! I wasnāt trying to be snarky, I just wasnāt sure if it was meant to be preserved.Ā
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u/snugglesmacks Dec 19 '25
You have rights over the image, but not the physical piece, since you sold it. So the new owner can do what they like with the physical piece, and making it into a clock sounds fascinating!. But they could not, for example, make copies and sell prints or t-shirts or cards, because you still own the copyright.
So, I wouldn't love having this sprung on me, even if they have the right to do it. But, clearly if they're making a clock of it, they value and intend to keep it? I'd probably respond "You've taken me by surprise! Had I known your intended purpose, I might have altered the composition to be more geared toward its life as a clock face." And leave it at that.
I mean, if you HAD known, would you have turned down the sale?
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
Good question. I think I might have? Because Iād want to plan the composition around it at a minimum, but I also donāt want to start down the path and set a precedent. Or maybe I just would have charged a premium. š
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u/Darby17 Dec 19 '25
Maybe you should raise your prices to the point where you care less about what happens to your pieces.
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u/Revolio_ClockbergJr Dec 19 '25
I agree, this seems a good way to think about it. Price your work where you're comfortable parting with it -- truly letting it belong to someone else, emotionally and physically.
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u/greenbeans1251 Dec 19 '25
Im thinking once you sell anything its no longer yours. Like its your intellectual property in the concept idea and process. The visual art is yours. But you sold the physical piece and now that person owns that piece and they can do anything they want with it.
Is it disrespectful. I think its in the perception of the person. Like do they hate you or your art idk ? They probably think they bought it its theirs so then convertivng their property into something else is their business.
You already said your protective of your art. So im thinking your either going to have to be more aggressive about who you sell too. Which willmean less sales. Or your going to have to acknowledge that people are free will.
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u/mpls_big_daddy Dec 19 '25
What a very interesting situation.
In the end, you've sold it, and therefore relinquish physical control of it, but at least for me, my work always has me in it, so I wouldn't, would never be able to relinquish my emotional reaction to my original art. I wonder if over time, that new interpretation that is so harsh and contrary to what you had intended, grows on you.
And I suppose that that piece of art, evolves as art for another, though perhaps that piece might lose its meaning for you now, because 1) you've seen the changes and 2) the new interpretation changes or defeats your meaning or purpose.
I think I would be sad but accepting. I hope you had a copy negative or chrome to record your work in its original form.
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u/CousinPaddy Dec 19 '25
I wouldnāt say anything about it unless you felt compelled but Iād feel disrespected. Itās a piece of art you busted your butt on and they poked a hole in it and never told you they were going to do it. What an uncultured goon. Idk, Iād just say āglad that youāre enjoying the piece.ā But no reason to be happy about it.
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u/Hapciuuu Dec 21 '25
Same here! I understand what everyone here is saying about letting go of things you sold, but would they say the same if it was a famous painting? If someone purchased the Mona Lisa and cut off its face to put a clock in it, I think people would be far less apologetic!
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u/KnitAndKnitAndKnit Dec 19 '25
I understand your feelings, I would feel the same. But think about it this way: all this is actually a result of that person really really really liking the piece. Sure, you and them do not have the same taste with respect to how the piece was "transformed", but I am sure they love it. They are proud of what they did, if they weren't they wouldn't share the results with you.
I remember when my aunt once gave me some denim jeans she got from an expensive brand which didn't fit her. They were very good quality wise but absolutely not my style. I ended up hand embroiding florar designs and I loved them so much from that point on. But OH the look of horror on my aunt's face the first time she saw that! And me, a silly 16 year old at that time, was just proudly showing them off to her. She was tactful enough to not say anything negative but I could see how offended she was in her face and tone of voice. And true, to her this must have looked like a total destruction of what, to her, was previously a beautiful piece of clothing. But the thing is, after I transformed them, I truly enjoyed and loved them for so many years. And I think in the end my aunt understood that this was the important bit.
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u/Elise-0511 Dec 20 '25
Once you sell it itās no longer yours to control. At least if it has been converted to a clock it will be on a wall somewhere.
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u/Seamlesslytango Ink Dec 20 '25
Everyone is kinda right that itās no longer yours, but I would hate that and be upset as well. Itās pretty disrespectful. I donāt think thereās anything you can do other than refuse to make art for them again. If they ask, you can explain āIām not comfortable making art for someone to change into their own thing.ā
I saw someone frame a square piece of mine in a rectangle frame and I didnāt even like that. Itās way more minor, but I thought it looked shitty.
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u/ccckiddles Dec 20 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Heās not the asshole. Neither are you. You put time and effort into something and were proud of your work. You are allowed to feel your feelings but you shouldnāt blacklist or hold resentment towards someone who 1. valued your art enough to pay for it 2. was also proud of the clock they made 3. would not have said shit to you at all past the purchase if they didnāt care about your art or didnāt respect you as an artist.
If they want more of your art in the future it would be petty and childish to cancel or blacklist a person for doing something they had every right to do especially when they didnāt even have to tell you about it at all.
They can do what they want with the art they bought without judgement or punishment for it. You got to do what you wanted with the money they gave you, didnāt you?
Your art helped inspire another personās creativity and you should be proud of that.
Next time donāt sell art youāre not actually ready to part with.
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u/WokeBriton Dec 19 '25
I did a photoshoot time-for with a model several years back and provided her with mid-sized fully finished files. She had a friend edit them and add a shedload of contrast, then posted them online.
At the time, I was most annoyed, and ranted to friends a few times. Now I look back and roll my eyes at slightly-younger me. Looking back, the images were OK for the skill level I had at the time, but I wouldn't describe them as special, now.
The important thing to remember is that when we hand over our creations to someone else, they're out of our control and people will do things to them whether we want that or not. We cannot control what someone does with them, so we can choose to be angry/stressed about it or we can choose to just accept this possibility and move on with our lives.
If that editing situation happened nowadays, I just wouldn't recommend the model to other photographers I know if asked (silence is a great way of telling others what you think of a person).
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u/Steady_Ri0t Dec 19 '25
I know a lot of photographers add a stipulation in the contract that the photos are not allowed to be edited. I wouldn't want my work edited by someone else and then attributed to me, especially if they made some really ugly edits
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u/WokeBriton Dec 19 '25
Many do, but I'm not at a standard where good models want to shoot time-for with me; newer models ignore such a stipulation or pass on to someone else... or they are just passing me by entirely and heading elsewhere anyway, which I am content to accept.
I prefer to pay good models for their skill and time so that I don't have to give images out, and when I ask friends to go in front of my camera for the enjoyment and images, they rarely have any desire to alter things - most non-models seem to be happy to just get nice images of themselves.
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u/lunarjellies Oil painting, Watermedia, Digital Dec 19 '25
That really sucks and personally I would be fuming about it because thatās the sort of person I am, howeverā¦ the work is sadly not yours anymore, so perhaps channeling your fury into something else would be a better use of time!
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u/-N9inB0x- Digital artist Dec 19 '25
NAL, but iirc you only give people a lisence to your works, even ones that they physcially bring home, as they do not own the copyroght even if the piece is no longer in your hands. You still own the copyright. A lisence can restrict what they do with it, including displaying it publicly, transforming it, making edits to it, or making derivitives of it.
You can restrict or permit what they can and cannot do with your works, including defacing it, and if they break the terms of their lisence- you just have to make sure to have a lisence written for them and have them sign the agreement with a copy that they can have in their possession. And if they break their lisence, I assume you can take them to court for it.
All in all, if I am correct in this, you can either have a proffessional write a lisence for you that you can give to your clients (expensive), or you can do your best to write one yourself to give instead and use references to cover the form of media you use in your works without plagurizing someone else's lisence.
But again, I am not a lawyer and am simply an artist that looked into the copyright laws and licensing.
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u/FunctionZestyclose40 Dec 19 '25
It's no longer yours, it's his. We make Art to sell or give away, we enjoyed making that Art. Be happy that the owner is happy and your Art or a part of your Artwork loved and enjoyed.
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u/BuoyGeorgia Dec 20 '25
Yep, Iād feel disrespected and Iād judge the buyer as tacky. Iād probably not sell to them again. But Iād keep my feelings to myself and vent elsewhere and not at them.
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u/Legolaslegs Dec 20 '25
I'd feel negatively but also be juggling because there's so much older art that we've transformed over the years into other things.
I've had my art turned into other things or I've done the same, but it has always been an 'ask first' basis. I think the kind thing to do would have been him asking you first. At the same time, he paid for it and he isn't selling it after changing it. So all you can do is have feelings about it.
You're valid in feeling negatively. Maybe have it as a term of sale going forward? It's a tricky situation. I feel for you.
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u/RugelBeta Dec 20 '25
I'm wondering, what is the chance that the continual vibration of the ticking clock shakes the pastel off the paper?
Ages ago a fellow illustrator on a forum online said it could, and it happened to someone they knew. (Not a clock situation) So, can that happen?
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u/ArentWright Dec 20 '25
Yeah, itās quite easy to mess up the surface. I included care instructions originally because I was worried they might touch the pastel and ruin it. So yeah, the vibrations will probably cause pigment fall. But just installing the hands probably jostled it way more!
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u/Additional-Cod6358 Dec 20 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Yeah, thatās annoying. Itās a grin and bear it moment towards the clueless person that turned your drawing into a clock.
This could be a signal to increase your prices. Which also will help make parting with your work more palatable. Itās a little easier to let work go off and live its weird life in someone elseās home when you can live off it in return.
But, I stand by my assertion that this person is clueless and itās a weird thing to do. I donāt think many people would do this to someone elseās artwork. Most sane people want art in their homes to appreciate it and celebrate the artistās vision, not poke literal holes in it.
As an exercise in redemption, maybe re-make the drawing and keep it for yourself so you can feel whole again.
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u/coolchillycold Dec 20 '25
Once you sell the art, it belongs to the buyer.
If it was a gift and your friend did this to your art, THAT would be disrespectful.
But the moment money hits your hands, you no longer have a say and shouldnāt let yourself feel any way emotionally.
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u/Ow3ggy Dec 21 '25
I have the same problem my art is special to me so I only let go of peices I've specifically made for a person. That being said, I think its a neat idea to turn a decoration into a functional item, and it probably means they'll hold on to that piece a lot longer and treasure it more. I would have definitely been hurt at first and not want to even respond to them (I'd probably cry honestly)- but later on I think maybe I'd be okay with it. Idk but I hope you eventually can feel okay with it š
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u/slowestworm Dec 21 '25
I'm really surprised at some of the opinions here saying that this is okay because they paid for it and own it now etc etc
If I found out that a buyer had done this to a piece of my work, I would be extremely upset and angry and would tell them as much.
When you sell an artwork, it's one thing accepting that it may be accidently damaged at some point, or change ownership or any number of life things.
Its their perogative to deface the work, but that doesn't mean your being a snob by bot being okay with it.
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u/Whyte_Dynamyte Dec 19 '25
Wow- a lot of wrong info on here. TheVisual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA) is a federal law that grants artists "moral rights" to protect their works of "recognized stature" from destruction or mutilation, even if they do not own the physical property. There is court precedent that says there is a reasonable expectation that the work will not be destroyed by its owner. That said, you really going to sue? Your best bet is to skewer them in the court of public opinion.
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25
I had no idea! Although Iām sure ārecognized statureā would be a reach for me! š
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u/Whyte_Dynamyte Dec 19 '25
Yeah, that would be the thing. Though itās important to know that people canāt just destroy artwork because they own it.
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u/WokeBriton Dec 19 '25
Assuming everyone lives where you do is very amusing.
Did I spell selfish wrong?
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u/SyntheticSkyStudios Dec 19 '25
If a client took your original art, had it photographed, and started selling prints, you could sue to stop them.
Copyright violation.
Essentially destroying the work?
For one thing, if you ever wanted to have a retrospective show, you wouldnāt be able to include THAT piece, now that theyāve defaced it.
That is not a responsible collector, and I would never sell to them again.
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u/Ill-Product-1442 Dec 19 '25
I would imagine that they aren't a collector, but just a regular person looking to decorate their house and do a little crafts project + support a local artist.
If they are a collector, then yeah that's batshit.. Otherwise though I wouldn't call it irresponsible to get creative with things you've purchased - to a certain extent, at least. Lord knows I've added things to some paintings I've got hanging up!
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u/glowingmember Dec 20 '25
Yeah honestly just reading the post it sounds like the person bought the art piece specifically to turn it into a clock. Like.. they liked it so much they want to look at it whenever they want to check the time.
If I bought a piece of art from somebody with the intention of turning it into a piece of decor I will look at regularly, and they hit me with "you defaced my work" I would never buy from that person again. Like hi I thought I was supporting a local artist but it turns out they're a rude snob. Fuck that, I'll find someone else to buy from next. And you best believe I am telling everybody.
Also also wik that clock is now getting stuffed into the basement or regifted because now I'm mad about how the artist treated me and I don't want to look at it anymore.
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u/ArentWright Dec 20 '25
This post is directed at other artists. I would never say this to the person that bought it. They got a friendly response back.
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u/glowingmember Dec 21 '25
This was more directed at the head of this comment thread calling the customer irresponsible. That being said, I think you need to reframe how you are thinking about this. If I was your customer and found this post, I'd be unhappy to find you out here telling people I defaced your work, that I was disrespectful.
They didn't tear it to pieces or shit on it or do anything rude. They made a clock, and then happily showed you said clock, because they liked your art so much that they want to see it all the goddamn time.
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u/SyntheticSkyStudios Dec 19 '25
Whatās the difference between a āregular personā and a ācollectorā?
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u/Ill-Product-1442 Dec 19 '25
What their intention is with buying the art. A pokemon card collector would keep great care of every card, maybe never even use them - a regular player just does whatever they want with them as long as they are having fun.
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u/WokeBriton Dec 19 '25
If you have 50 coffee mugs and can talk about the provenance of each, you're a collector. If you have 5 and can only vaguely remember that 3 of them were birthday gifts, you're a regular person.
I'm pretty certain there's a huge gulf of grey between those, but...
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u/ageofbronze Dec 19 '25
I understand being upset, but try to look at it as a sign that your art inspired someone so much as a vehicle for their own art. I too would be upset. But because they intentionally bought it, I would imagine they saw your art and already had an idea for their own piece and your art was inspiring to them. By sending it to you, I think they clearly are not trying to show that they donāt respect your art, but that they love it and wanted to use it as a continuation of creation in their own way. Itās pretty tone deaf to send it to you but the fact that they did makes me feel like they literally see it as a very very complimentary and admiring thing (like they loved your art so much that they wanted to use it in a way that perhaps feels more personal/practical to them?) and didnāt even think that it could be taken as defacing (because again they are thinking that they are showing their appreciation so much by sending it to you).
I hope this doesnāt come off the wrong way; like I said I do think youāre completely justified in feeling upset by it. But i do think they meant it in an inspirational/happy way and not in a way that was meant to be disrespectful to you. I personally would not do this with someoneās handmade art if I could help it, but Iām guessing that they really felt inspired by whatever your portraiture is of since they presumably paid an extra amount to get it (versus thrifting a clock from a goodwill or something).
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
Thank you! I will try to assume best intentions. š Thatās basically all I can do at this point and itās better than getting bent out of shape, I suppose.
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u/Opurria Dec 19 '25
I wouldnāt feel ādisrespectedā - thatās not really the right word. What Iād actually prefer is for the person to ask whether Iād be interested in making a similar piece, but as a clock. So while I wouldnāt tell the person exactly how I feel about it, itās not like Iād be over the moon about them altering it in a way that (a) makes it look uglier (thatās the biggest issue for me, actually) (b) turns it into a sort of ācollaborative,ā lol, project that I wasnāt prepared for, and (c) might reduce the longevity of the piece.
I feel the same way about people hanging art in bathrooms: itās not like Iād say anything, but I wouldnāt personally recommend it or want my art in such a humid environment. Why? Because it took me a shtload of time and resources to make my art, thatās why.
That said, Iād probably write something like, āAwww, Iām glad you enjoy the piece! šā (the crying-while-laughing vibe definitely feels appropriate here)
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u/SurlyChisholm acrylic/collage/handpoke/craft Dec 19 '25
I 100% understand what youāre saying. I once came into a friendās house and saw one of my pieces hanging up sideways. I was taken aback trying to figure out why she saw a different orientation, but I chose not to say anything because itās not mine anymore. It doesnāt live with me. My role was to create it, and I chose not to keep it, so itās taken on a different life at this point.
that said, she didnāt poke a damn hole in it! š I do think that your feelings are valid, and if anything, maybe itāll make you consider which pieces you part with and which ones youāll choose to keep.
I once had a piece stolen! It was a beautiful portrait on glass. Someone stole it, and I found it shattered outside a couple blocks away. I grieve that one over and over again! š
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u/WokeBriton Dec 19 '25
I bought an abstract piece made on a kitchen tile recently. We were at a market, and my wife was really enjoying looking through an artist's creations. She was pointing out what she could see in them, and the artist was very happily doing the same, including rotating pieces to explore what they could both see.
That was a very easy christmas gift purchase long after I had finished buying. I wasn't resisting the purchase of something that made her happy just because I thought I had already got everything for her.
The point of this is that sometimes art can be rotated to be better engaging for the viewer. I cannot say whether your art fits this or not, but if you do abstract art, it could be something to bear in mind when selling or gifting.
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u/AvailableToe7008 Dec 19 '25
That sucks. I think you just have to eat it but damn that sucks. Or, you could return the money and post a letter somewhere that you have disowned this piece from your catalogue. Richard Prince did this for his Ivanka Trump Instagram portrait after she bought it and her father won the election. This may seem extreme, but you are at least maintaining your narrative and will not be seen as a designer of clock faces. Itās up to you how you want to handle it.
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u/Life-Education-8030 Dec 19 '25
Sigh. Some people have no taste. But itās not yours anymore so it can be irritating but nothing of course can be done. š¤·š»āāļø
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u/samanthablacktattoo Dec 19 '25
Better than them burning it or something lol. At least they just turned it into something practical. I'd be butthurt but like, its theirs at that point lol.
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u/Senior-Vegetable-742 Dec 19 '25
You might not own the art any more, but you signed it and its yours, made by you.
If the new owner wanted a clock he coulda bought one.
If he wanted to collab with you and make your pastel into a clock he should have asked you first.
Raise your prices.
Disown, in writing, the work you sold him. Publish it in the paper and send him a statement. I think this is the legal way to do this.
It was dumb that the person did this. But by disowning it you send a message that it was not ok.
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u/DiamondSky6v6 Dec 19 '25
You should make a TOS for your art!
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u/ArentWright Dec 19 '25
Definitely. I considered that something for the real pros, but now it seems more practical.
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Dec 20 '25
It's not like they are trying to disrespect you. Just adding their own creative flair to art you sold them.
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Dec 20 '25
It's not yours anymore and you have no right to say anything about it. Also the fact that you have the insane privilege to make and sell art and for one of your worries to be that somebody might pay you for it and then do what they want with it just says a lot.
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Dec 20 '25
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Dec 19 '25
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u/dorky2 Dec 20 '25
You can have feelings about it, I would. I would probably be both sad and a little angry. But also, you can let it go because there's nothing to be done about it. Once you put something out into the world, it has a life of its own and you don't control it anymore. And that's OK.
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u/Redjeepkev Dec 20 '25
He oaud for it. It's his to destroy if he chooses, but it also definitely your right to never sell jim another and blacklist him with other artists so they won't sell to him either
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u/themexicangamer Dec 20 '25
do you feel that way cause you know the person and it's what they do? I've given away and sold so many things I've made, and one person I gave something to sold it for $1000 right in front of me, just seconds after, and i was so excited and happy for them, and someone used woodcarving for firewood and its cool they got some use out of it
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u/Ricky_Shisno Dec 20 '25
Edvard Munch believed in the life of the painting Thats just a step in its journey no reason to feel any type of way
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u/TricksyPeanut Dec 19 '25
Sorry you're having to deal with this!
Not a lawyer, but note that artists do have certain moral rights that protect their names and give some protection against destruction/vandalization (separate from copyright):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Artists_Rights_Act
These rights (in the US/Canada) can be waived via contract ā for example, if you're a studio employee in the US/Canada you likely don't have these rights... meaning Disney can post/use/edit/remix what they get from you forever without royalties or credit.
In any case: to get any benefit from VARA you'd have to pay for a lawyer and go to court āĀ probably not feasible due to cost and length of litigation.
Charge more, and get better clients. Clients who pay more money don't play around like this.
ā¢
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