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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Artist selling drawings of my house

529 replies

TechGinny · 07/09/2021 12:43

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Thefaceofboe · 07/09/2021 13:49

I honestly couldn’t care less.

I think you want it to be an issue as you have an answer for everything. The house doesn't appear on Google images, as happily the house next door is very similarly named and the previous owners used to 'loan out their garden for photos, so that's what appears in searches. It's not on Google earth either, as it's obscured by trees

urbanbuddha · 07/09/2021 13:49

@Hdhdjejdj

How has this really negatively impacted your life? You are lucky enough to have inherited a lovely home that an artist wants to paint. Count your blessings.
^This.
FionasFanjoFondu · 07/09/2021 13:51

@Mybalconyiscracking

I would buy one , how lovely!
This
annacondom · 07/09/2021 13:53

Bloody hell, I would be fuming! At the very least she should be giving you a free copy. But you need to decide what you want to result from this before you contact her. Just an apology or acknowledgement?

I had a situation a few years ago. I took a unique photo of a local church and donated it to them to use for fundraising/publications. Someone unconnected took it and used it in their book without any attribution. I asked for advice on MN and someone said in her job she would pay up to £300 for permission to use such a photo in a for-profit educational book. Long story short, I got a free copy of the book and a promise of attribution of the photo to me if the book is reprinted. NB a church is regarded as public, in that anyone can take photos. The issue is that this was my photo.

NewlyGranny · 07/09/2021 13:53

Good grief, if I had a Latin inscription above my door and people were knocking and ringing to know what it meant, I'd put a card in the window saying, "If you want to know what Pax Vobiscum means, Google it!"

moynomore · 07/09/2021 13:54

This wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I'd be flattered.

GemmaRuby · 07/09/2021 13:55

Yes it would make me feel uncomfortable too.
Let us know if you get a reply!

TheGoodEnoughWife · 07/09/2021 13:57

This wouldn't bother me and I *think trespass only applies if you are asked to leave. So you aren't trespassing until asked not to be somewhere if you see what I mean.

Glssr195726113493 · 07/09/2021 13:57

@SusieBob

Why bother even contacting this person? What are you going to gain from it? They might have trespassed in order to take a picture of your house but really, so what? And you can't stop her selling the drawings so really you are just going to come across as a bit unhinged.
Now if this post had been by someone who lived in a ‘normal’ terraced house, rather than an intriguing sounding one that isn’t visible from the road, posters would have been up in arms on the OP’s behalf.

But as her house sounds like it might be big, beautiful and dare I say valuable, people are calling her ‘unhinged’ and ‘bonkers’ for being unsettled by a local artist trespassing and then flogging prints of her sketch… Confused

Dozycuntlaters · 07/09/2021 13:57

How has this really negatively impacted your life? You are lucky enough to have inherited a lovely home that an artist wants to paint. Count your blessings

Given that we have no idea about OP's inheritance or family circumstances this comment is a bit silly, and quite insensitive. How do you know she did not lose her parents very young, for us to inherit we have to lose a loved one, nothing lucky in that at all. How odd you see it as lucky.

OP I get why you feel uncomfortable about it, definitely find out how the artist got the image which she painted from.

Dillydollydingdong · 07/09/2021 13:57

It's not really an issue, is it? Someone might have come into your garden, probably only once, maybe taken photos, and not done any damage. And not been injured either. Did you want to do drawings yourself, and sell them? No. End of story.

tattychicken · 07/09/2021 13:58

I think that's cheeky and intrusive. Could she have used a drone to take photos? Still intrusive but marginally less so.

vera99 · 07/09/2021 13:58

She could have used a drone and it could be a lot worse...

Artist selling drawings of my house
DottyHarmer · 07/09/2021 13:59

I used to live in a listed building (not the whole property) and one day someone knocked on the door asking if I’d like to buy a painting they’d done of the house. I said yes please, paid £60 and it’s hanging on the wall (in new ugly house) now.

RogersVideo · 07/09/2021 14:00

I think YANBU to be unsettled by the fact she may be trespassing. Though in the grand scheme of things there are much worse crimes then sneakily sketching houses.

I'm just curious, is there anything in the drawing that gives away that it was of the house very recently?

EspressoDoubleShot · 07/09/2021 14:01

Posters are spectacularly missing the point either lack of understanding or purposefully
It’s the trespass aspect that’s unsettling. Access to property without consent
The artist creating an image is unrelated to the trespass that may have occurred
It’s not charming or flattering to have a stranger access ones property without consent

AlvinSimonTheo · 07/09/2021 14:01

I've just realised I've seen my house on tv several times without being asked. Off to ask itv for compo!

Daydrambeliever · 07/09/2021 14:01

I get it OP. On Mumsnet anyone who has inherited a home isn't allowed to complain about anything. (I haven't inherited anything but bills before anyone starts).

I might feel a bit weird about this too. I'm sure there are plenty of people on this thread who'd be a bit weird about someone entering their property and photographing their home.

AlvinSimonTheo · 07/09/2021 14:02

@EspressoDoubleShot don't be daft. Delivery people and god knows who else come onto property all the time.

As someone said, it could be a drone image 🤷🏽‍♀️

Fere · 07/09/2021 14:03

Is it signed as as TechGinny's family home? If not how would people know is yours if it isn't visible from anywhere?

EspressoDoubleShot · 07/09/2021 14:04

Delivery people etc come with op consent to undertake delivery. That’s explicit
The artist has potentially accessed without consent or knowledge

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 07/09/2021 14:05

I would think it a bit off if a deliveryman took a photo while he was there though! And I can’t imagine their employer thinking it acceptable.

Hdhdjejdj · 07/09/2021 14:05

The house may have been the home of people who worked there too. It may be as special to them as it is to you.

EspressoDoubleShot · 07/09/2021 14:06

So what? That doesn’t confer access @Hdhdjejdj

Hdhdjejdj · 07/09/2021 14:07

@Dozycuntlaters She’s fortunate to be from a notable family and to live in a house that’s been in the family for 100 years.

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