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 did this once and I still look back in mortification and hope they’ve binned it, except I painted the couple. I’m not even a good artist 😭 my only defence is that I was young and had no idea what a good wedding gift was. (I just give money now for engagement and wedding gifts 🤣🤣)

The painting would be a lovely gift but not as an engagement present. It is jarring to associate an engagement with death.

What's a "Dcat" when it's at home?

This is exactly the sort of thing my best mate would do. I love her to pieces and I know she only ever does things out of love (even to relative strangers) but it comes across as fucking barmy 60% of the time and they're reasonably likely to think you're mad. So no. But don't stop being you.

On the 10th birthday of my beloved house rabbit, I received a gorgeous hand-drawn portrait of her from my mother-in-law. Could tell she’d ’commissioned’ it before DRabbit died because underneath was a clearly rushed and smudged
Biro pen message reading “I know you miss me but I hope you know I’m resting hoppily.” 😂

Anyway OP, I don’t think the gift is appropriate for an engagement, but definitely cute idea for the future.

Ask them? I mean if you want it to be a surprise I wouldn’t ask but I think this is one of those things that needs to be asked.

‘Hey, because I’ve joined an art class recently, I wondered how you would feel about me trying to do a painting of your cat? I know how sad you’ve been to lose him/her so young, and I thought it might be a nice idea? Please say if not’

I know you’ve already painted it but presumably they don’t know this? If they say they would love you to do it then you can wait a while and give it to them. If not, no one has been upset and you got practice either way. I wouldn’t give it as an engagement gift, though.

Not weird at all - or possibly very slightly weird, but in a good way. If I was to receive that I would be touched by the very personal and considered thought behind it. I think it is a great idea and very kind of you.

Sorry, just re-read the question. It’s a lively stand-alone gift. But I wouldn’t give it as part of an engagement present. Keep that separate. It definitely so share it at some point - just not as part of a celebration of their engagement.

I don't think it is a suitable gift for an engagement.

Unless you are a professional pet portrait artist I would not give it to the couple at all, and even if you were a professional artist, you don't know whether they would welcome a portrait of their deceased pet.

If you give them the painting it might be upsetting and if it's not to their taste, they might be embarrassed about not displaying it on a wall.

"Dear cat" (as in DH, DW, DD etc)

I've even seen "D hamster" on this forum.

Dead cat pictures are not many wish lists for engagement present. I'd not give it to them as a gift. By alleans show them your artwork later and if they genuinely love it, and are not simply being kind to you, give it to them then. You can normally judge their taste on art by what they already have on their walls.

I like the idea about having the picture made into a card, which the couple could either display or not. But if the cat's death is recent, is it too soon to give them reminder of poor deceased puss yet? I'd be careful with my timing, and also have other people looked at your picture and thought it was a good likeness? But I think that it is a lovely and kind idea of yours.

I think its very kind of you and even if the painting isn't exactly like her but is recognisable, they will appreciate the thought. I got a painting commissioned of my parent's dog who died and it isn't exactly her as the artist made her alightly darker but its recognisably her features and her eyes and they loved it.

I really appreciate all the honest advice. Thankyou!!
I think what I will do, as some of you suggested is mention that I have joined an art class and that I had a fantastic pic of DCat in my phone gallery and thought I'd give it a go. And would they like to see it? If they love it I'll offer it to them. If they seem in anyway WTAF, I will run like fu#k and never come back. politely try to hide my shame.

I’d give it as a card maybe, not a present.