personal progress
I currently work near enough an independent bookstore that I can walk there in time for them to close normally. Yesterday I got out early, so I was able to scope out Spectrum 24.
Normally Spectrum makes me feel really hopeless. Intersects with my major baggage about how there are valued people and no matter what I do, it'll be decided I'm not one of them. And yeah, I got that, but I feel weirdly encouraged now.
personal progress
Because there are a lot of artists who do more cartoony stuff, analog media or line heavy work. Peter de Seve, JAW Cooper, Richard Whitters, Claire Wendling, heck even Terryl Whitlatch or Iain McCaig himself. They're definitely wanted, they're definitely people I admire, and some even get into Spectrum regularly.