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

[silv3x.livejournal.com]

I'm in a same situation as OP. Artist wrote she started my commission, but didn't answer when I asked about WIP or a sketch (I don't want to see my commission finished after several months of waiting, but with mistakes). I wanted to ask about a refund, but then she posted several journals about depression.