What would you do?

[AlexH]

So, I am having an issue with an artist and need your opinions.

 

I have been dealing with an artist for the past couple of years, picking up covers and other artwork from him. His prices are really good, and he is a great guy to talk to.

 

Recently though, I asked about a cover and was told it was sold to his boss. He then offered his latest cover to make up for it. I said yes. Also around this time, I asked about another cover he did and he said he would hold it for me.

 

A couple of weeks pass and he tells me his boss is telling him he wants the 2 pieces promised to me. He also says he doesn't want to enrage his boss, as he does give him good jobs to do. Rather than be a , I try to do the fair thing, I suggest that I take one of the pieces, and the other could go to his boss making both of us happy.

 

This morning I am told that his boss doesn't want to part with any of his artwork. Meaning I now get zip.

 

I am pretty pissed off, but I am not sure what I should do. Thoughts?

[Dr. Balls]

I think I would cut ties, move on and work through being pissed off. Realistically, you won't be able to trust his word, or his business ethic after this point.

 

That's really unfortunate to hear - I really dislike it when artists go against their word, or act unprofessionally. A deal is a deal. If he doesn't have the spine to tell a customer that a piece of art is promised to someone else (regardless of who it is) - they should probably look into getting a manager.

[Maccai3]

there doesn't seem like much you can do really as he seems to be jumping through hoops for this guy

[seanfingh]

 

Find out if his boss wants to buy all the rest of your stuff from that artist and get out entirely. You will never enjoy it as much after he treated you poorly. Sorry, Alex.

[Sal]

His boss sounds like a real AlleyBat. Some people just can't help being socially maladjusted pinheads, I guess

[Dr. Balls]

You will never enjoy it as much after he treated you poorly.

 

I can speak to that from experience. Bad dealings have a way of tainting the things around them...

[DrWatson]

Tell him that you hope his boss enjoys the artwork and discontinue purchasing from him in the future. Find another artist whose work you like and support them for a while.

[VintageComics]

I agree with most people in this thread.

 

Pandering to his boss at the expense of his fans is lame and the only way he's ever going to learn otherwise is if someone tells him so.

 

In the age of the internet, nothing is more important than reputation and transparency.

 

I'd stop buying and tell him why.

 

 

[DrWatson]

You will never enjoy it as much after he treated you poorly.

No kidding. I sell every piece of what I refer to as pain-in-the-arse art. Art such as this is supposed to give a sense of enjoyment when you look at it, not irritation.

[The_Captain]

Find out if his boss wants to buy all the rest of your stuff from that artist and get out entirely. You will never enjoy it as much after he treated you poorly. Sorry, Alex.

 

Totally agree with this 110%.

[That Ron Dude]

Is his boss his only boss? If he loses this boss can he easily find another? Is this statement a full reason for his actions of is it an excuse as though the boss has offered him a little more than you might have offered him for the work?

 

Some artists live in a hand to mouth existence, even some of the good ones. If three people meet for lunch and one of them tells the other two what an a**hole the artist is, that artist can be out of work for months, years or a lifetime. Really, that is how it can work.

 

I have sympathy with artists who find themselves in that position.

 

On the other hand it hard to be sympathetic with an artist who is taking a client and a fan and perhaps a friend for granted.

 

 

I used to work for a furniture manufacturer. The buyer always had more than one supplier going. He was willing to pay more to a second and third supplier just to be sure that if the first supplier made unreasonable demands, he would not find himself under that supplier's thumbs. Maybe you should keep dealing with the artist but take a look around town for new suppliers too.

 

 

[AlexH]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I was pretty tcked off this morning, but the anger has now dissipated and I am thinking more clearly. I was all set to trash his boss via email, but I don't want to ruin the guys' livelyhood.

 

I will most likely not deal with him anymore, and will tell him he has lost a fan. Don't know if I want to sell his work though, as I really enjoy it.

 

Thanks everyone.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Find out if his boss wants to buy all the rest of your stuff from that artist and get out entirely. You will never enjoy it as much after he treated you poorly. Sorry, Alex.

 

+1

[Anfield Fox]

So, I am having an issue with an artist and need your opinions.

 

I have been dealing with an artist for the past couple of years, picking up covers and other artwork from him. His prices are really good, and he is a great guy to talk to.

 

Recently though, I asked about a cover and was told it was sold to his boss. He then offered his latest cover to make up for it. I said yes. Also around this time, I asked about another cover he did and he said he would hold it for me.

 

A couple of weeks pass and he tells me his boss is telling him he wants the 2 pieces promised to me. He also says he doesn't want to enrage his boss, as he does give him good jobs to do. Rather than be a , I try to do the fair thing, I suggest that I take one of the pieces, and the other could go to his boss making both of us happy.

 

This morning I am told that his boss doesn't want to part with any of his artwork. Meaning I now get zip.

 

I am pretty pissed off, but I am not sure what I should do. Thoughts?

 

Couldn't he have given you another piece for free (or heavily discounted) to make up for it? This is assuming you've been buying from him for a long time and values you as a friend/customer.

[Green]

If its dale, il l take your cast offs

[Mephisto]

I would just sit back and not say anything. I would wait a long time and decide if I want to buy anything else. The artist may even contact you. It sucks he went back on his promise but sometimes a work environment can really suck and off a boss you have to deal with and perhaps see in person often can make things very uncomfortable.

I hated working with about half the people at my last job. A lot of them were just plain old dumb white trash that could pass a civil service test with a score of 70. I would of course get stuck doing I didn't want to like going to a wedding of a coworker I literally hated. That created problematic situations in it's own right. However, not going probably would have made things even tenser. One coworker didn't go to this person wedding and of course that person who was a real B ITCH constantly got into heated arguments with this coworker and would sometimes bring up how it was wrong she didn't attend her wedding. I am SOOO happy to be out of that place!

[AlexH]

If its dale, il l take your cast offs

 

Nope, it isn't Dale. He is still awesome to deal with.