ToastyPoodle

Great success! The art has been finished - and, the results are, in fact, excellent!

As promised, I am updating the beware to state this fact. As far as I am concerned, my issue is now resolved. Nika has requested that the beware be removed, but it is my understanding that’s not how this whole thing works - so I will leave action up to the moderators or at least get it downgraded to a caution as a sign of good will.

30 minutes ago, RTKobold said:

Wait isn't that really against paypal terms of service. Considering her own list of commissions and doing that as well she really digging herself deep in trouble.

I imagine it would be, although someone better at PayPal law and TOS would be better suited to confirm that.

I would imagine that PayPal wouldn’t know otherwise, as she did the calculation outside of PayPal and simply invoiced $212, which as far as PayPal would know is the cost of commission without fees.

I have commissioned many many artists on FA since I have joined and to date she is the only person I have *ever* seen charge that, however. I have always made it a habit to tip the artists to cover the fees myself without prompt (often because many undercharge as well), but she was the only one to demand it upfront.

3 hours ago, Camy said:

It's like she doesn't get why you're upset and why you made this in the first place.  This "situation" (really? that's what she called it?) is what she made herself.  Clients shouldn't have to keep asking for updates months on end.  Forgetting is one thing, but acting like this is just ridiculous with all the guilt trip and lying.  

Yeah - I would have to be honest and say that being blocked at this point is hardly a punishment. Truthfully, I may not notice much of a difference...

As can be imagined, the week that passed saying the piece would be done has come and gone, and with all of the other submissions being posted I was definitely not “next”, as was promised early January. I’d be much less annoyed at that if a timeframe wasn’t given, and broken - and of course, no update why.

With the situation as it is, I haven’t asked because I don’t want to harass and give ammunition at the point the commission is so close to being done - it feels almost like a Mexican standoff and I just want this to be over. I *will* update when this is completed, and not cause any trouble, so if it’s stressing... just finish the piece??

She is still, however, charging a 6% PayPal feel on other YCH’s, as a heads up.

As update to the situation:

Rumblings have no doubt moved things a little bit, and progress on my piece was made! However, Nika is now aware of the beware, as she has confronted me directly.

I enjoy the progress on the piece, and it seems as if she is still going to finish it, which I greatly appreciate ~ I will keep everyone appraised of the situation. I am hopeful for a happy conclusion!

8 minutes ago, Celestina said:

Let's keep things focused on the beware at hand and less on how she runs her gallery.

Can I just say, however, how awful it feels watching all these reminders get blitzed for about two weeks while you beg for an update.

I have lived that hell a few times now, and when you are months out of a commission the *last* thing I enjoy seeing is practically begging for more more commissions, with such a huge workload.

It *is* spam and it’s how she’s trapped this huge client list - myself included.

35 minutes ago, Celestina said:

Do you happen to have any updates after the 13th?  Has she said anything since then?

Unfortunately, although not unexpectedly, no. She is going in to a “remission period”, where she stops posting on all platforms and vanishes for up to two months at a time. I can only speculate that this is when the money runs out - this is now the third time I have seen this pattern since the beginning.

Keep in mind, when she is active she posts upwards of 10+ reminders a day about YCH’s or commission openings, before vanishing again. I have attached a screenshot of her last submission time... golly gee it was the 13th!

20 minutes ago, Kaku said:

Just as a heads up: it’s against PayPal’s TOS for the seller to charge you the PayPal fee! (which is another strike against this artist for sure) if an artist tries to make you pay it, inform them about the TOS violation and don’t pay it. It could get their account shut down, and also it’s just rude to do??? sellers are using a service to accept payments and there’s no other fees that have to be paid besides per-transaction ones.

I did not know this, and sincerely thank you for the heads up! I certainly won’t make that mistake again.

I thought it was strange at the time, but I didn’t question it - having dealt with many other artists since and reflecting back, that was definitely a warning sign.

7 hours ago, Cryptozoo said:

I would be very interested in knowing the original content of the comments that she removed from her 'Need help' journal.

I remember reading that journal and noticing that as well!

I am very sorry to hear that it appears to be "more of the same". I am still going to try and get her to complete my art, if can! Although, if my Beware goes live I doubt she will be happy with me. 

She got the money that she needed, apparently - because now she hasn't been active on FA since, and has not responded to my messages at all.

Okay, thank you! I will work on my own post tonight - I made an account because of this situation, so I would like to do it right! Thank you!

I am sorry to hear that you are going through this - but I am "happy" to say that you are not alone. If the moderators would like me to, I would be more than happy to go through and share my entire experience with Nika.

My own commission (also under ToastyPoodle) has been out since July 17, 2020. It sits at a measly 30%, and only because I have hounded to get it that far. I gave her the benefit of the doubt so I am beyond the time that I can dispute this with Paypal - which means I am out $212 for my YCH.

She seems to run a pattern where she vanishes for 2 months, re-appears to sucker a bunch of new people in to claiming art / donations, takes the money, and then vanishes for another 2 months - this cycle has happened a few times now.

It's a shame, because she has the talent to be a great artist, but just... isn't. I would be more than happy to provide all the evidence just as the OP has - here or in a new post. I have everything to lose because I am past a refund, but I really think people should know what they are getting in to. I am grateful for the OP's post because I had been considering starting one for her myself, but I was nervous to do so.

It may be in her TOS that there are no refunds, but it's also in her TOS that she will talk to you and have great communication.... what do you do when the artist breaks their own TOS?