Hi @EmilyEarwig!
That sounds like a pretty rough patch you're going through. Hang in there! Sorry to hear you aren't feeling too great about yourself. I think we all have those moments - you are not alone!
I really like what @apple74 and @baddiehl said about comparison. It's very easy to compare ourselves to others - we are after all, social creatures. We live in this society and have friends, family, people around us. It's a human thing to compare and contrast. It makes us strive to become better. Seeing what others have helps usimagine what we can achieve. So I think comparison in itself isn't a bad thing - it's howwe let the comparison affect our lives that requiresdiscipline and our healthy perspective.
Your art work is yours and yours alone. You are an artist - as long asyou keep creating, making, doing, seeing - this fact isregardless of what others say. Sure, all artists, actors, musicians, professionals, anyone doingcreativework - need recognition. Recognition is nice because it rewards the talent and all the hard work you put into your art. But it's not always guaranteed! Sometimes work is recognized, sometimes it's not. I thinkartists, in order to keep their spirits up, must believe in the art they create, and just keep doing what they love, creating beauty in their own eyes. That alonemakes them an artist. And if the world also recognizes their work as beautiful, then that's a plus.
I used to look at people's facebook profiles and feel a lot of envy. For the things I didn't have and they had, for the excitinglives they seemed to live on social media. But I realized thatfor one, the photos themselvesdon't mean that the people are necessarily happy - it's easy to create an image of happiness online. I know because other people tell me they were envious of my life because of the snazzyfiltered photos, when inside I was feelingpretty crummy.The truth of what people are feeling inside could be very different. And for two, there's enough happiness and love to go around for everyone. Just because they are happy and successful, it doesn't mean that it takes away from my happiness or my success.
For me, learning to be happy for other people's successes is a continuing learning journey, and I believe, one that makes me a more content and mature person. It's not intuitive nor is it always easy, but I think it's essential to my personal growth.
Now, on a separate note,if someone is blatantly copying your art work, that's a different story! There are copyright laws around that and if it's a very serious case, like it happened many times, over a period of time, orinvolveda significant monetary sum, there's the option totake legal action.
Hope this helps! You are an ARTIST! Don't give up