Artist selling drawings of my house

[TechGinny]

I've just discovered that an artist local to the area is selling drawings of my property on her website. It's not easily viewed by the road, which means she would have had to enter the land to draw it.

I'm feeling quite annoyed about this, as she has never made contact to ask permission.

AIBU unreasonable to feel like this, and would you make contact to ask her to remove it from her website?

[quote Hdhdjejdj]@TractorAndHeadphones Do you know the history of the Right to Roam movement? Recently there was a commemoration at Winter Hill in Bolton when people protested when a landowner blocked a path. Landowners have previous history of acting unreasonably when it comes to access to the countryside too.[/quote]
The majority of agricultural land isn’t owned. It’s rented. And costs tenant farmers actual money to maintain, rent aside. Who is going to compensate them for the damage caused?
Right to roam came about because vast areas of uncultivated land (moorland, rivers etc) were under private ownership. The government can’t buy them back but there’s no point in keeping them inaccessible so right to roam was the answer - and if the land meets the criteria for a conservation site there are grants etc which help with the maintenance.
If something is for public use it should be the public/council that pays for it. Land needs maintenance. Something that the vast majority of people don’t understand, they think that it just sits there untouched.

Yeah, the aeroplane photos, sold door to door, are completely normal and have been going for years. I know a few people who have them.

I hope all the 'stealing my house's image' people managed to organise themselves to stand and shake their fists visibly enough, the day the Google earth van / drone / plane came by.

I’m not sure what you want me to say @TractorAndHeadphones. I’m certainly not pleased that land is in the hands of a wealthy few, many of whom are tax exiles.
It feels like you are at war with ‘townies’ as you call them. I have no doubt many are reckless idiots but many more are passionate about the countryside, food providence and the environment. Given the choice we would live in the countryside but alas we can’t. As for the cost of upkeep of the land, those grants and subsidies, if available are paid for through taxpayers contributions. I am happy for my income to go towards the upkeep of the countryside about that, in contrast with your tax exile landlords.

I hope all the 'stealing my house's image' people managed to organise themselves to stand and shake their fists visibly enough, the day the Google earth van / drone / plane came by

IIRC you can ask Google to blur out your home should you wish so probably pointless to shake your fists when a simple email would suffice.

@WaterAndRichTea

Trespass to land is typically a civil issue and not generally a criminal offence OP

If you read the full thread, or just my replies at least, you'll see I've never had any intention of court or anything of the like. And I'm not in England.

It would have been nice if she'd asked your permission as she's making money out of the images. Definitely send her an email outlining your concerns and if I were her I'd give you a free print and a bottle of wine!

If there are no features around it then likely she drew it from a photo. If it's a prominent house it will have featured in local historical guides etc. Or she could have used a drone but I very much doubt it. Surely you'd have noticed a woman sat with an easel for hours on end drawing your house! Honestly I wouldn't email her. It makes you sound mad.

@Hdhdjejdj

I’m not sure what you want me to say *@TractorAndHeadphones*. I’m certainly not pleased that land is in the hands of a wealthy few, many of whom are tax exiles. It feels like you are at war with ‘townies’ as you call them. I have no doubt many are reckless idiots but many more are passionate about the countryside, food providence and the environment. Given the choice we would live in the countryside but alas we can’t. As for the cost of upkeep of the land, those grants and subsidies, if available are paid for through taxpayers contributions. I am happy for my income to go towards the upkeep of the countryside about that, in contrast with your tax exile landlords.

Nobody wants you to say anything - not sure why you feel so attacked. I was merely pointing out that land needs taking care of and the costs of that don’t always fall onto those who damage it. Also I’m not sure where ‘evil tax exile landlords’ comes from as I’ve pointed out that most land is rented. You seem insistent on creating a tribal, ‘us vs them’ narrative.

FWIW I’m a townie through and through but often decamp to the countryside and am very involved with local conservation charities. Half of DP’s family are farmers and a lot of my peers have small holdings. If you’ve ever sat in a resource planning meeting and seen how much land maintenance costs you’d probably have a better understanding.

Sorry OP not relevant to you …. Will stop hijackjng

Also @Hdhdjejdj it was you who used the term townies. Not me.

@Blossomandbee

Are they just using it as an example of their work? I'm wondering why they would choose your house to draw and sell, and why would anyone buy a drawing of someone else's house?

Lots of people do. Look at all those pictures of pretty houses on biscuit tins and jigsaws, for instance.

I don't own a fancy manor, but I do get it. I don't think you need to own a fancy manor to get it.

Anything to do with your house feels oddly personal, because it's your home. I mean, anyone could take pictures of my property and stick them on the internet, and to an extent, they do, because my property often comes up next to ones being sold. However, it's different to take a photo of the property and put the exact address next to it. It feels like there's a line crossed.

It's not hard to work out the exact address without that information, but the fact that the house name is right there, makes the information accessible and the feeling intrusive.

I think in the OP's case, the lack of access to the property adds a level of discomfort in that it feels like there's been an instance of trespass previously. A instance of the private sanctuary being disturbed.

I know it's the outside of the property, not the inside, but I don't think it makes it feel any less disconcerting.

For many people, when you get broken into, the upsetting thing is not the loss of valuable items (especially if insured). It's the feeling that someone has invaded your personal space without your consent. It's awful.

I don't think the OP has any legal rights here, unless they can prove trespass, but I don't think the OP is odd to feel a bit creeped out, without being able to articulate why. I think I'd feel the same.

Anyone who wants to test the theory can buy me a fancy manor and then draw a picture of it.

Do not say ‘slightly uncomfortable’, she will just dismiss it if you say that. Say you are unhappy.

Can you really guarantee that absolutely no-one who has visited the house over the last century has ever taken a photo of it? Or that there isn't a picture in local archives? Is it in the UK?

You don't stand a hope in hell of proving that the artist was trespassing and they don't have to answer you if you contact them. If I were you I'd leave it alone.

She could have used a drone. I have seen a drone in our garden which I found quite intrusive.

I don't want to take her to court, I don't think it's serious enough for that.

Good, because there is no way your case would get to court.
What law could you prove she has broken?

• & if it's a trespass offence, how are you going to prove it, & how much interest (hint: none) do you think the Court would have in taking up a historic 'charge' of one-off trespass?

I think I'll send her a message along the lines of what's been suggested and take it from there.

If you're doing this to give yourself peace of mind, by all means go ahead.
But I can't see what you believe you are going to gain from it - apart from, just possibly, an undertaking to never enter your private property again.
How are you going to feel if she just ignores your email?
Is it worth the hassle, for the risk of disappointment which will only serve to prolong your feelings of discombobulation?

I think I woukd feel equally uncomfortable with the situation, too, OP.

Read the full thread, @ChargingBuck.

Nobody wants you to say anything - not sure why you feel so attacked.
I was merely pointing out that land needs taking care of and the costs of that don’t always fall onto those who damage it. Also I’m not sure where ‘evil tax exile landlords’ comes from as I’ve pointed out that most land is rented. You seem insistent on creating a tribal, ‘us vs them’ narrative.

Well said, @TractorAndHeadphones

@Hdhdjejdj you’re determined to be obtuse on every point made by anyone who doesn’t agree with you. When Tractor said about farmers getting up at 5am, you immediately got defensive and suggested she was saying no one else got up early.

Incidentally, in my time as a very small-time ‘farmer’, I have met a handful of people who genuinely didn’t realise they’d made a mistake by coming into the field with the bull. They were very apologetic and they learnt something. I have dealt with many, many, many more people who felt entitled to use it because as they saw it, I wasn’t using it. Only I was. It was being prepped for growing. Or there were animals grazing. Or it was being rested.

The worst thing that ever happened was a huge family held a fireworks display at the top corner of my field, that was full of animals. I mean, seriously? Absolute fucking idiots. That one makes me shake with anger if I dwell on it.

Anyway, enough merailing. Sorry @TechGinny. I hope you can get in contact with the artist and I hope she hasn’t invaded your home to get an image of it.

I’d put up a big sign saying NO TRESPASSERS. NO PHOTOGRAPHERS. NO ARTISTS. it won’t do anything but she will know you’re on to her.

@takehomepay

I’d put up a big sign saying NO TRESPASSERS. NO PHOTOGRAPHERS. NO ARTISTS. it won’t do anything but she will know you’re on to her.

Hard to say without seeing the picture, but I suspect this is one of those things where they only use the imagery once. The artist is probably busy drawing pictures of other people's houses now for more variety.

@Onairjunkie Don’t be silly.
You were the person bragging about threatening people with big dogs and your shotgun. I’m hardly the aggressor here.

[quote Hdhdjejdj]@Onairjunkie Don’t be silly.
You were the person bragging about threatening people with big dogs and your shotgun. I’m hardly the aggressor here.[/quote]
Oh for heaven’s sake…

I see you’ve clarified the access query,artist has accessed your property without permission. She isn’t standing on pavement or gazing from adjacent window. She’s actually accessed your property.
Yes I’d be really annoyed, it’s intrusive and for her commercial gain. She’s selling the image for profit.

@AlvinSimonTheo

"So you knock on a door to gain permission, can't gain it and so just sit in their garden and go ahead anyway? OK then."

Why would she need to sit in the garden?

She'll have taken a photograph and worked from that. Maybe she had good reason to be there, she might be a postie or delivery person as her day job and thought, ooh, I'd like to draw this house so took a photo.

Nothing weird about that. Just leave it!

This. OP, sorry but you are being ridiculous.

I don't think YABU, I'd feel uncomfortable if it isn't a house visible from the road.

Plus

It's all very well this painting lark, but what happens when people start knocking on OP's door to get a better look at the house they just bought 'on canvas'.

^ this. People are weird, some would probably think you'd be delighted if they knocked on your door to tell you how lovely your house is after buying a picture of it or would think nothing of wandering up the drive for a quick peek.