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For those that might not know my origin story, I came up early on in the rise of alternative movie posters. It’s something I don’t talk about publicly very much, but it was unpleasant. (1/11)
TW: Cyber bullying
TW: Cyber bullying
Entering any new field/scene is difficult, but it's not any easier if you're one of VERY few women + mixed race in a field dominated by YT men (creators + collectors).
I became the subject of quite a bit of hate shortly after start in to sell screen prints of my work. (2/11)
I became the subject of quite a bit of hate shortly after start in to sell screen prints of my work. (2/11)
Some of my biggest trolls (all men) went so far as to message galleries, clients, as well as other artists, warning them about “what kind of person I was”. They refused to call me “artist” as I didn’t deserve that distinction. (3/11)
I was called fraud, hack + thief, with more than one suggestion I was sleeping with someone. Occasionally accompanied by an unflattering nickname.
Any time I dropped a print I could expect it/me to be torn apart on social media + a specific online forum. (4/11)
Any time I dropped a print I could expect it/me to be torn apart on social media + a specific online forum. (4/11)
I endured that bullshit for years. Even had some more established poster artists take shots at me publicly + try to pull rank to tank a gig bc they were releasing a print series at the same time w/ the same client. (5/11)
I learned to anticipate disapproval + hate. To understand that people within that burgeoning community wanted to end my career before it even started.
Unfortunately for them, I am a focused + stubborn woman who never puts all her eggs in 1 basket. (6/11)
Unfortunately for them, I am a focused + stubborn woman who never puts all her eggs in 1 basket. (6/11)
My goal was to be a full-time freelance illustrator, non-exclusive to alt movie posters. I freelanced in a variety of fields + as such the poster trolls (also known as Jerems) had limited power - but they were high-octane fuel. (7/11)
It was the intensity of their vitriol that convinced me not to quit. Because the basis for hate without reason is fear.
I wanted them to keep it up - fill their sad little lives with hot air + shit-talk - because I was going to do exactly what they feared. (8/11)
I wanted them to keep it up - fill their sad little lives with hot air + shit-talk - because I was going to do exactly what they feared. (8/11)
I was going to succeed + eventually, slowly, they’d go quiet. The silence letting me know they were choking on their own words (screencapped for posterity, ofc).
I'm speaking about this now bc the clout produced by a recent poster has given a few of these folks amnesia... (9/11)
I'm speaking about this now bc the clout produced by a recent poster has given a few of these folks amnesia... (9/11)
But I did not forget.
I hustled + bided my time knowing one day I'd lean into that silence + every villain from my origin would have no choice but to hear me say "I won".
Today is that day. (10/11)
I hustled + bided my time knowing one day I'd lean into that silence + every villain from my origin would have no choice but to hear me say "I won".
Today is that day. (10/11)
But today isn't about them. It's about those who've been othered, excluded, hated, for no reason other than they made a small person aware of their smallness.
To them I say: They hate bc they fear who you are + what you might become. Show them they were right to be afraid.
END
To them I say: They hate bc they fear who you are + what you might become. Show them they were right to be afraid.
END
