Should I bin my friend's art?

Do you or your partner have an office? Can you say you’ve taken it there?

The only truly viable option so that it goes for good and stops taking up valuable space is for it to be ‘damaged’ in the move. You’ll need this event to be believable.

Ha ha. I immediately thought of Amy's painting too

The best part of this thread is the people thinking that pic is the actual art and not a joke from an episode of Friends.

I was more thinking of the giant picture Amy gave Penny in The Big Bang Theory.

@SmallIslander it's upthread...if you dare!

@Joyjazz I'm sorry but I wouldn't like that on my wall either

I think we need to see the painting to know for sure!

It is tricky - I do crafts and I don't often give stuff to anyone as I recognise how personal a thing it is, to decorate your house! I've also been in the position of having a canvas bought for me that I wouldn't necessarily have chosen.

Whenever I have given anyone anything, I am always very upfront in saying that I won't be looking for it, it's a gift to them to do as they wish and I'll never ask them about it - and I mean it! But as I say, I very rarely gift anything that I've made without prior agreement with the recipient.

I have this problem - we have ( I think an expensive) painting we got given as a wedding present . But we really care about the giver so its on the wall - but on a corridor upstairs so we don’t have to look at it. Do the same - the friend is more important

Couldn’t you just suggest she paints something for the new house? Give her a bit of guidance on theme or ask for something in particular that you do like?
You could then offer the other back as it doesn’t go with your new decor.

Jeez, that's the stuff of nightmares not art. That's definitely due for an accident in the removal van.

Do you have a cabinet it could go in? You know, with all the other really special stuff.

I desperately want to see this masterpiece/monstrosity. Can you at least describe it for us, @Joyjazz ?

That's a bit of a leap. People giving things they made are selfish???

I’d go with putting a similar sized picture in the frame and switching them when she comes around, unless it’s 5ft x 5ft or something.

I couldn’t throw it away as she painted it for you. Even if I didn’t like it, I’d be sentimental about something like that. Could you not just store it and not get around to hanging it in your new place? She’s unlikely to keep asking after it, if she does occasionally, just say it keeps slipping your mind.

I’d just put it in my loft, if she asks I’d have to be honest…I can’t hold anything in.

Oh we had this problem. A friend gave us a piece of her original art as a wedding gift and honestly we just never liked it. We put it in the spare room, then when we had some work done a few years ago we took it down and stored it.

I can't quite bring myself to bin it but it will live in the loft forever.

We were also once given a handmade cushion cover in a variety of colours that I just didn't like but my son loved it so I allowed him to claim it and the giver is delighted he is so thrilled with it and doesn't mind that it's not on our sofa.

I'm no help! I would just put it upstairs in a spare room but it does depend how awful it is.

Oh my God, @RicePuddingWithCinnamon, that awful. And scary. I couldn't give it house room.

Do you have any children, grandchildren or any sensitive souls in your life who you could claim won't enter your house while that is in it?

Is it Gladys?

Amused by all those thinking a PP who isn't the OP has posted the actual piece and not realising its from Friends 🤣

I think it's frightful tbh .I would say it doesn't really suit your new home. Also did she do it as a surprise. If so art is subjective and she should realise this

If you like the frame, would you be able to get an alternative picture to slot in front of the bad one in it, and hang that in the new place? Then you'd only have to remember to whip off the nice one and hide it when your friend comes round!

You could bin it together with the frame - or add it to the stove ff you're decluttering pre move and give it to a charity for someone else to enjoy. Maybe not a charity shop very close to you if she lives locally. 🌹

I would hang it in the guest bedroom. You never have to see it and she (and other unfortunate guests who stay over) will. Win win.

You definitely can’t bin it, that’d be nasty, destroying art someone else worked hard on is immoral. Someone else might like it. If you’re getting rid of it give it to a charity shop.

Really you have two options: honesty or dishonesty. Which you choose depends on her personality.

The dishonest options:

• hang in bedroom, give away but pretend its still in there.
• pretend it got damaged
• say its in loft

(the first two options run the risk she may give you more art in future)

Honest option:
Say you’re going for a new aesthetic in your new home and have decided to let go of that painting and would she mind if you give it away or would she rather have it back.

I’d probably put it in loft if you have one. You can’t keep the frame, no.