I have an online art business and I would like to keep it private. I’ve never had much privacy in my family despite most of them living overseas – even relatives I’d never met always seemed to know intimate details about my life and I’d like to avoid that with my business.

I totally messed up a few weeks ago when I let slip to a few relatives that I was doing “freelance art”. One relative, I’ll call her Abby, latched onto this and keeps asking me about it. I’ve told her I’m just trying to figure things out and don’t want to share it just yet, but she keeps asking. She’s asked me 5 times over messages for photos of my art, and also said she wants to commission me to do some art for her. I really don’t want to end up the family’s free artist, and I would never charge relatives for my work so I’d rather just not do it at all.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Abby, but I just don’t want to share my business with people. I know my relatives care about me and I don’t want to offend them, but I really want to keep work and family separate.

Am I being unreasonable? If not, how can I keep my business private? I thought a half truth would work, and the other relatives I told haven’t pursued it, but Abby just won’t let it go now and I don’t know how to undo the damage. Should I lie in future?

Would love some advice on this and if anyone has been in a similar position. Thanks in advance!

TL;DR: I have an online art business and want to keep it private from my family. Relatives tend to know my private affairs because they evidently discuss it amongst each other and I don’t want to feel like I’m being watched with my business. I would like work and family separate. Is this unreasonable? If not, how do I keep it private? Should I just lie about what I do?