Is this a strange/offencive gift?

[moanycoo]

I have a client couple whom ive got to know over a few years. I see them weekly at home.
I got to know and love their Dcat. All our chats were about her, always made a big fuss each week. Cat died, quite young suddenly a couple of months ago. The couple just got engaged.
Here's the question... I am a very amateur artist. I joined a club and have painted the cat. Now it looks quite good, i'm really chuffed. Its not an uncanny resemblance but you can tell its her. Could I cause offence by framing it and gifting it to them as part of their engagement gift? Thoughtful or weird??

I think we need to see the picture before deciding to be honest. I am not sure though it is appropriate for an engagement gift though.

Not as an engagement present.

Firstly I would post on some kind of art group and get opinions on the painting, then if it's all positive give it to your client at a separate time.

"Congrats on your engagement, oh here's a reminder of your dead cat" seems a bit odd to me.

I love the idea

I’d love it!

Could be viewed as strange a picture of the deceased cat as an engagement present.
Side note..enjoy your painting classes.

Depends on the people. I wouldn’t want a framed painting of my dead cat, especially if you can just ‘tell it’s her’. But some people may be totally into that. If you are in their house every week then giving them a framed painting is a bit much for me anyway though, they will feel
obliged to put it up

It’s a lovely gesture but I would give it as a general gift, not an engagement present.

Gifting them a painting of a dead cat = not weird

Gifting them a painting of a dead cat as an engagement present = really quite weird

I wouldn't give it as an engagement present. I'd ask if they'd like it first before giving it to them as they may feel like they have to put it on the wall if you come round often.

Personally, I don't want any pictures of my pets, dead or alive, on my walls.

Dead cat picture - might be a nice gesture if it's actually a good picture. Would need to see or at least get someone else to comment.

Dead cat picture as an engagement gift - very very very weird

Engagement gift to clients - depend what your job is?

Sounds a bit over-invested.

And definitely weird as an engagement gift.

They are clients not friends so I wouldn't be giving them any present let alone one which is a picture of their deceased cat. You seem to have crossed some professional boundaries here.

Thanks everyone. I knew I'd get the truth here!
My family all think its sweet but I'm just not sure.
I'm thier PT and I know I'm being invited to their wedding. Not sure if all or evening yet. So we are friends i guess 🤔

It’s very thoughtful but no, not a suitable engagement present!!!
I don’t display artwork really in my house anyway so this wouldn’t be put up here, not a judgement on your artwork at all, I’m just picky about what I put up in my house.

Might be better to have it printed onto a card and given as a congratulations on your engagement card (then they don’t have to keep it up all year unless they want to frame it!)

I love this idea!!!

@moanycoo - when our first dog died, very suddenly, one of dh’s dog walking friends offered to do a painting of her, if we would like it. We said yes, and now have a lovely picture of our beloved brown lab on the wall - and we are so grateful for the effort this friend went to, to give us a memento of her.

Could you offer the painting to the couple as if you haven’t done it yet - “You know I love painting - would you like me to do a picture of your cat, as a memento of her?” - and if they say yes, you can give them the picture?

I think it's a lovely idea.

But the only thing that would concern me would be I might feel under pressure to display it and I might not be ready to.

My lovely cat died in my arms a couple of years ago and I still find it hard to look at photos of him.

But that's just me, and you can't argue with the fact your heart is in the right place OP.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius
That is a really great idea.
That was sweet of Dh' friend. Love that he had a dog walking friend.

Yeah it is bit odd as some say.
"congrats on your engagement, here is a pic of your dead cat" would probably bring the mood down.
You can just give it as present normally

I would definitely be really touched by it if it were the other way about, but I am a kinda unusual gal!

I would think it was well-intentioned but misguided. I wouldn’t want to look at a picture of my dead cat.

I love the card idea, or even an unframed painting with a separate card but I think a framed painting is way too much pressure on them to display it even if it’s not their thing, given you are around there often. It’s a really sweet idea though. Personally I wouldn’t want to display a hand painted picture of my cat, kids etc as it’s just not my style but I would still be really touched to receive it from you and I would genuinely love having the painting to look at from time to time even if I didn’t display it, knowing someone was thinking of my lovely cat.

I would bloody love that and be really touched at something so thoughtful

I am a very amateur artist

Unless you can post a pic, I think this says it all. She'd feel obligated to display it, even if not to her liking or worse case- its an awful representation of her beloved cat.