Artist exposes an 'influencer' in the family after she demanded a free painting. AITA? UPDATED

"AITA for exposing an 'influencer' to her family after she demanded a free painting and $200 on top of that, threatening to tell her followers not to buy from me if I refused?"

My mom’s goddaughter, let’s call her “Jen” (29F), asked me (25F) to do a painting for her because she saw I did one for a mutual friend, let’s call her “Anna.” Jen wanted the painting as a gift for her father, who is a retired photographer. Here’s the thing: Anna paid me for the painting, and everything went smoothly.

She posted a picture of the painting with her mom as she was gifting it to her. Well, Jen saw that painting and became interested in one for her father. The problem is, she wanted me to do it for free. She said she would advertise it on her Instagram and tell her “fans” to buy from me in exchange for the painting.

I told her no, as I am not in a great financial spot right now, and I cannot afford to do something for free. She wanted a custom-sized canvas, which is not commonly found in stores. I would either have to have it made myself or try to find it online for a reasonable price. I explained this to her, but she still didn’t understand.

She said I already had the materials on hand and that she didn’t think art materials were that expensive. She accused me of being greedy and not having a vision for business, claiming that her exposure would be more valuable than my art.

She also said she wanted me to pay her $200 on top of the free painting, arguing that with her help, I would make so much money, and companies pay her to review things. She pointed out that every creative artist or individual, including her father, did free work at the beginning.

Everything went downhill when she noticed I wasn’t replying (I was working), and she started talking down on me because I was let go from the military (for medical reasons beyond my control).

She said I had failed at everything, including that, and that she was giving me the option to succeed and make my parents proud. Since I wasn’t replying, she called my mom to complain that I didn’t want to do a free painting for her. As I mentioned, she’s my mom’s goddaughter, and my mom seems to have a preference for her. Mom called me back and demanded I do the painting for free.

I became enraged. Jen’s words about my parents not being proud of me stuck in my head. So, I decided to draw a 2-second sketch and told her that was her free painting and to leave me alone. She became really angry and threatened to post on her socials, telling her followers not to buy from me and to ruin my art career.

I’ve received a few phone calls from my mom, which I haven’t answered, and some hate messages from what I assume are her followers. AITA for exposing her texts to her family?

Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:

RepublicTop1690 said:

The more "influencers" who get exposed for the cons they are, the better. Expose away! NTA.

mcindy28 said:

NTA. Go fully nuclear and share receipts of all the asshole moves she's pulled including roping your Mom into her entitlement. Tell EVERYONE you can... hopefully her followers start dropping her!! This is why I can't stand "influencers"! Entitled jerks.

robopirateninjasaur said:

NTA. Tell her to pay full price, and have her post it on her socials with a 5% discount code, and everytime someone uses it, you'll give her 10%. Point out if she really has such a huge reach she will end up making money off the deal, and if she doesn't she isn't very business-minded.

BlueGreen_1956 said:

NTA. Expose her. She was trying to extort you to do what she wanted. The public should know what kind of person she really is. Note: Your mother deserves the same.

ChocolateKey2229 said:

NTA. Me thinks Jen is the one who doesn’t have a “vision” for business. She’s failing at marketing herself, don’t see her being successful “advertising” for you.

ChipmunkSalt7287 said:

Oh another thing, since she brought parents into this, tell her dad she is using his name to try and get things for free. Still NTA.

UPDATE:

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give a quick update. I did tell her dad about it. We had a brief talk, and he told me she’s been acting out due to problems in her relationship (not sure if that’s true). He also mentioned that she has been battling alcohol and substance abuse, which has made her more prone to picking fights. She has had recurrent issues, with family and friends complaining to him about it.

He said it was his fault for always giving her what she wanted and for raising her spoiled. Either way, he assured me that he was going to talk to her and ask her never to contact me again. He also asked me not to tell her boyfriend about it, as they are on the brink of separation. Her attitude toward others is one of the reasons they are having problems.

Her dad is a sweetheart, and he’s currently going through dialysis. I told him it’s fine as long as she never contacts me or my family again. As for my mother, I’ve never gotten along with her, so I’ve blocked her for now. I’m not sure if it’ll be forever, but I’m trying to find peace.

For those who asked me to expose her publicly, I am not going to do that. That was never my plan. I never said I would. I only said I would expose her to her family. I appreciate all the support I’ve received and those who have reached out to check on me. Y’all are great!

I would appreciate it if you guys didn’t DM me asking for usernames or if you are a news reporter. I really don’t care, and I’m not here to get “clout,” as some say. I just wanted to know if I’d be in the wrong, and I got my verdict. This might not be the update y’all were wanting but that’s the only one I have for now.

Edit: Due to the high number of people harassing me over not exposing her publicly, you are no different than her. You don’t get your way and you start harassing someone? Seriously? Thanks to the good and sweet people who supported me.

Here's what top commenters had to say about the update:

LoveJuno_ said:

Wow, she needs a new paintbrush for her life! Maybe one that paints better choices? Glad her dad's stepping in let’s hope he can help her color inside the lines from now on.

midwest73 said:

I hate this "influencer" entitlement. Give me free stuff or else! This crap has turned the Internet and the likes of YouTube into a living nightmare. Too many idiots do it, too many follow it. Best of luck and stay strong!

LibraryMouse4321 said:

Tell her to leave you alone. Then tell her that if she says or does anything to harm your business, you will tell her boyfriend everything. And you will put her to all her dumb fans.

NonniSpumoni said:

You are a better person than me. Congratulations on drawing boundaries with your mother. Remember to move everything to a separate file and keep it. These things have a way of biting you in the a later.

One last thing...boiler plate cease and desist.... defamation... basically anything legal can be found on the Internet. As someone who potentially might be the next big thing or just someone in a world of "Jens* you may want to familiarize yourself with these things. I hope you get rich and famous.

LittleChimpzx said:

Wow, her dad is the real MVP here talking sense while on dialysis! Meanwhile, she's over there trying to barter for free art like it’s 1999 and we’re all still using dial-up internet.

Competitive-Metal773 said:

You are handling it with grace and class and I applaud you for it. THAT said, if this does not stop her ridiculousness and she doubles down/escalates, do not be afraid to clap back in a bigger way if she leaves you no choice. Being the bigger person is admirable but laying down and taking poor treatment isn't something you should have to do.

Thats-Not-My-Name-80 said:

I think this is the best update. Her dad will help her get the help she needs hopefully. And maybe this will get her life on the right track. A girl can hope right?