Looking for advice: Requesting a refund from an artist

[friskecrisps.livejournal.com]

I wasn't sure if I should have mentioned this in the title so I felt it was better to keep it in the body. Essentially I'm considering requesting a refund from an artist due to having to wait several months for having a commissioned piece done. However what's troubling me is that the artist says they are suffering from depression and that they are doing what they can to get mine and other works done. I'm not sure of what to do here cause I feel like if I ask for refund, a whole new set of issues are going to arise from it and that I might be causing the artist more grief on top of their current situation. So I'm a bit lost of what to do.

Comments

[mazz.livejournal.com]

Ask for a refund, depression sucks, I've been dealing with mental illness. It sucks but it does not give someone an excuse not to refund if the commissioner requests.
If they've done some of it (like a sketch) you can ask for a partial and take that with your sketch. If it's been a few months and you've seen nothing you are in all right to get a refund. People should not use mental illness for a reason to not do work owed and should be offering refunds.