I'll tell you one thing, like painting, fixing IT stuff for family and friends is pretty-much a non-remuneration job, too. While with art you get to at least feel a bit creative, for us it's often just fix, fix, fix. and Lo, when you turn around and say "no" then you are in the dog-box

Would this work: get prints of your favorite piece and give those out to family instead? Tell them your cost for the print and get them to pony up?

Don't forget us tech-guys and gals. Just because we do it for a living, doesn't mean freebies. The arts are a problem in that they are immensely subjective, both to the creator and the observer. music/art that may be considered trash today, may be sought-after tomorrow. Inversely, someone who can say do plumbing, a measurable craft is either good at it, or getting better, and that skill has a certain intrinsic value, that is much easier the collect revenue for. Nobody ever discusses the beauty of a plumber's work, either it works or it doesn't and therein lies the problem: Van Gogh sold just 1 painting in his life and died poor. A plumber may not be rich, but they are not poor, either. This is the sacrifice for art, i guess.