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Karen's avatar

Yes, and sometimes it’s subtle. It’s the friend that I pump up and encourage relentlessly in her art production, but that never says anything when I share my artwork with her. Complete textual silence. Ignoring it as if I didn’t send anything. The exhusband that wanted me to paint less flowers and more skulls (eyeroll). Sometimes you have to forgive yourself for WHO you share your heart, and art close to your heart, with. 💛

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Adrienne Morris's avatar

What comes to mind are two women--one an English professor, the other a lady in a writing critique group. I know this is controversial to say, but as a female artist, it's been all women who have hurt me. The professor attacked me weekly--no encouragement, just bitterness and personal criticism. The lady in the critique group made it her mission to do the same. I was a people pleaser and took their abuse like a "nice girl" though my heart raced, and my cheeks burned in anger and humiliation. Another memory is of a fellow female student in high school destroying my entire portfolio of artwork that I needed to bring to a college interview. I hardly knew the girl and it's still a mystery why she did it.

It took me years to share my work with others after that, despite a bunch of male professors and editors encouraging me. Now that my books are out there in the world, there are many women encouragers, but I must admit that I'd have a hard time hiring a female editor.

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