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??

Not that unusual.

I think it's very touching, there's just the possible issue of them feeling pressured into displaying it before they're ready, as they might not want to 'offend' you.

Perhaps if you could make it clear you understand they may never be ready, then it might make it easier.

OP that’s really thoughtful of you. We’d love to see your work :)

But in my experience giving artwork as a gift can be tricky because people’s taste in art is SO personal and subjective. Receiving unwanted artwork from a friend can be awkward. If you gave them a painting and they didn’t like it for whatever reason - whether because of the dead cat subject matter or just the style - would you be offended if it wasn’t put on display in their home?

this is just based on my own experiences but I appreciate others might think differently.

this. Some people are "pictures of lost loved ones" people and some are not. I am a not and the problem I would have is how to get rid of the bloody thing without upsetting you....and for an engagement present? Just no.

Could you ask her? Tell her you dabble a bit at an art class and one week you were painting animals. You painted a cat which was similar to yours and wondered if you would like to see it?
That way, if she agrees and likes it, you could gift it to her

Let’s see the cat…

As an engagement gift, probably not. But I do think it’s a very sweet sentiment, most people would be touched to receive a tribute to a lost pet

Yes, this I think.
Your idea of the painting is a lovely though, but don’t tie it to the engagement.

I think PPs idea of printed it onto a card is very good idea. Then you can tell them you painted it at your art class

Gotta say I'm loving the use of DCat. DH, DD, DS, DC, and ... DCat.

Darling.

I like the idea of having it printed as a card, but maybe not as a framed painting if you're an amateur. A relative of mine started painting classes and did a painting of our dog. She was chuffed with it really wasn't great. I was appreciative of the effort, but it wasn't something I'd have hung up.

I wouldn’t give it as an engagement gift.

I would mention I’d made the painting and go by their reaction. If they seemed excited, I would offer it to them.

She truly was a Dear Cat. I was not a cat person until I met her.

That's a lovely idea. My Mum's cat Chloe, died just before Christmas and for her birthday (Jan) i found a particularly nice picture she has sent me and got it printed a framed for her, she loved it.

It's not a painting of a dead cat. It's a painting of a cat from memory, that is now dead. Very different. She didn't paint a corpse.

I agree not an engagement present but I would like to have received this just as a gift and a memory.

Am certain they would absolutely love that painting but agree with others, not as an engagement gift, or perhaps an extra one so not all the emphasis was on it.

My late cat used to come into the art class I volunteered at, as he'd follow me through the door. I have two paintings of him from the students and I adore them. Such a kind thing to do.

My DD painted the late dog of one of her friend’s dads in her teens and gifted it to him. 7 years later it is still on the wall behind his desk. I suspect they would love it. I’d love one of mine.

I voted YABU as it could potentially be weird, awkward or upsetting for them. It could be lovely for them but I wouldn’t chance it and certainly not gift it as part of their engagement present unless there is prior discussion that they want it.

This is a good idea

Some people would love this but for most people I think a picture of their dead cat might not feel like the most joyful engagement present. I wouldn’t gift this at this time.

Most amateur art isn’t quite as good as the perpetrator thinks it is.

My friend did this for me and it was a lovely, lovely idea.

There will always be oddballs who will find a reason to find something offensive or strange but that's not your problem. A normal person who doesn't like the picture will appreciate the thought, thank you and put it in a cupboard.

Don't allow your life to run along the same lines as the oddballs!

Very sweet of you x

Don’t do it.

I personally wouldn't - one because they might not want a reminder of their cat because it's too painful, and secondly because art is so personal in taste to what someone likes and doesn't.

I wouldn’t give it to them, no. The art you hang on your walls is a very personal thing. If they don’t like it, the whole thing is just going to become problematic and embarrassing for all concerned.