Yet Another Holiday Card Question.

[Thipu1]

We have a couple we rarely see but with whom we enjoy hearing from several times a year.

She is still working.  He has become an 'artist' in his retirement.  To be frank, his art looks like something the cat coughed up.  Every communication we get from them includes a postcard of his latest creation and a link to his Website.  We know that we are supposed to praise Jim and (perhaps) buy a painting in honor of our friendship.

It is not going to happen, but the push to buy is getting a bit much.

what would you do?

[Sharnita]

I think I would tell them that your funds for investing in art are limited and while his "strength" is impressionism you preference is realism.  (or some variation).

[diesel_darlin]

To be frank, his art looks like something the cat coughed up.

 

[Minmom3]

DH has a family friend who is an artist.  Paints in oils.  Much of it looks like Gauguin, who is NOT my favorite artist, and hers is derivative.  She's a fun person to be around,  as long as you don't count on her to be there for you in a pinch, and her gift selection and wrapping skills are crazy good.  But her art!  Ooooh, barf....  Luckily, her prices are well over my budget, so it's moot for us, but we faithfully get every announcement of a new show, and a come see us.  We only get that communication these days, due to a series of events in which we didn't do what she wanted for something, and was unhappy with us.

[White Lotus]

Artists often keep people on their mailing lists and websites because that is, for them, a chronicle of what they are doing. It is an update, nothing necessarily more. I don't see this as a "pressure to buy" as much as a "see what John's been up to."  Now, I haven't seen either his art or how they word the letters, so I could be wrong.
I am a showing and selling artist, and I think art is a matter of taste and meaning.  I see a great deal of art I dislike and might even argue as to whether it even is art.  I see art I think is good, but which I would never buy or display.  I see art I love, and, if not forcefully dragged away by my husband with sweet murmurs of "you can buy it if you'll tell me where we will hang/display it", I buy it.  As to my own, like it; don't like it.  No skin off my nose.  It is art.  You either like it or you don't.

[Surianne]

Artists often keep people on their mailing lists and websites because that is, for them, a chronicle of what they are doing. It is an update, nothing necessarily more. I don't see this as a "pressure to buy" as much as a "see what John's been up to."  Now, I haven't seen either his art or how they word the letters, so I could be wrong.
I am a showing and selling artist, and I think art is a matter of taste and meaning.  I see a great deal of art I dislike and might even argue as to whether it even is art.  I see art I think is good, but which I would never buy or display.  I see art I love, and, if not forcefully dragged away by my husband with sweet murmurs of "you can buy it if you'll tell me where we will hang/display it", I buy it.  As to my own, like it; don't like it.  No skin off my nose.  It is art.  You either like it or you don't.

I agree.  If it's just a postcard and link, why is that a pressure to buy?  You can safely ignore it if you don't like the art.