Hello. My name is Jen Scapes. I used to be good friends with a fantasy artist that uses the online name of astra_valyesky - her real name is Sarah Kanish. Last December she was hurting for money and I paid her full in advance for a $75.00 watercolor commission piece for a friend of mine for the holidays. Sarah never once contacted me about the piece to discuss complications or progress, nor could she produce a digital image of the supposedly in-progress commission when I contacted her in May. By this point she was five months too late to use the image as a holiday gift and when she offered me the choice of a full refund, I gladly accepted. I e-mailed her over the summer a few times about the money and she said that she was still having trouble paying her bills and loans back, so I gave her even more time to refund my money.

It has been nearly one full year and I have yet to see my refund. She promised me both last week and the previous week to send me a money order for the full $75.00. I have yet to see a penny of my money.

I have left messages for her everywhere that I can think of but still she refuses to return my money to me and I am through being polite.

I feel bad having to report her when she and I used to be so close, but this is absolutely ridiculous. I would never suggest Sarah Kanish as a commission artist to anyone.