My mums compliments sound like digs (light hearted)

[LibbyVonTrap]

I’m an amateur artist and draw/paint people and animal portraits. I’m no Van Gough but I’m decent enough that I get commissions. I don’t do abstract, I go for realism. I was very busy over Christmas with commissions and got lots of messages Christmas Day from customers telling me their intended loved their picture along with a few videos of teary folk seeing the portraits for the first time. (Happy tears lol)

Anyway, whenever I send a pic of my work to my mum she compliments with comments such as:

“That’s good, I can make out that it’s a dog”
“That’s nice, you can tell it’s a girl”
“Oh I like that, you can see that it’s a dog”

My latest one is a portrait of a well known person which I’m doing as a present for someone. Upon seeing the finished picture my mum said “oh that’s really good! It even looks a bit like her! You can tell that’s who it’s meant to be”

Wtf 😂 she makes out that you can just about tell what animal I’m trying to draw etc!! I don’t know if she’s just clumsy with her words or if she truly thinks I’m shite “but trying” 😂

AIbU to think these comments are more like digs?

(Lighthearted, I’m unconcerned as I get happy customers but why does she say things like this?! 😂 or am I just taking it the wrong way?)

Comment that if she can only just make out it's a girl/dog/whatever, perhaps she needs an eye test as you have many extremely satisfied customers who can clearly see your paintings are extremely good.

It is a bit odd! Is she just like this with your art work or does she have form? If she's otherwise lovely then she is probably just being clumsy but if this is a pattern of behaviour then I'd think it was definitely a dig... you'll know best?

Just do one if her where she won't be able to make out if it's her or the dog.

She sounds jealous of your talent which is weird as she's your mother.

Maybe don't show her anymore if your work. Or send her to specsavers.

Would need to see pictures of your work before I could comment!

I don’t think I can attach pics as a new member :-(

Could it be that she's uninterested in art? My mum is like this and a bit sneery like she disapproves of it as a waste of time when people could be doing things that are more "improving" in her view. I was ok at art and she was huffy when I chose it as a GCSE; she thought I was wasting the opportunity to another academic option. I remember excitedly showing a couple of pieces I'd got a very high mark in and she'd say "I've no idea why, I can't even tell what it's meant to be". Rude!

Have you posted before?
About her saying “proper art”

@Excitedforthefuture

Have you posted before? About her saying “proper art”

No she’s never said that at least 😂

Definitely weird responses. Could she be going for humour but not quite pulling it off?

I have a friend who sometimes shares her artwork on a group WhatsApp. Honestly, I don’t think her work is very good and I doubt the other members do either, but we always manage to find something positive and truthful to say. “I love the colours you’ve used”, “the eyes are beautiful”, “the fur is so realistic”, “what a lovely dog/cow/view/etc”. Given that you’ve sold your art and had only positive feedback on it, I can be fairly confident in saying that there must be something positive she could find to say about them. She’s just choosing not to.

Probably just a mum thing. I really wouldn't try and turn it into anything else unless you actively want to and there are other issues in your relationship

She sounds interested but clueless about art to me so she's trying to be encouraging. Just laugh it off and ignore. Or stop showing her your stuff

She sounds rude I’d not share with her. The old if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything should apply. Is she like that about other things too eg I like your dress will look nice once you’ve lost weight etc

Stopping sending pictures of your work to her seems like the easiest resolution to me.

Send her a pic of Landseer's Monarch of the Glen and tell her it's your latest work. If she says, 'That's nice, you can tell it's a stag', you'll know her earlier comments are just her being motherish.

Just ignore and smile. You are the one making money from it.

I took up art again 2yrs ago, a combination of retirement and lockdown. I do all sorts but prefer abstract personally. Most of my family don't like them, if I'm honest there are some that I wouldn't even hang on my own wall, but I've sold over 50 now for good prices so who cares what anyone else thinks.