Another sign of growth is accepting the outcome of the choices made, and moving forward, understanding that there are some things that cannot be repaired, but using that to better your friendships in the future. I can see the person you are now has grown a lot from this, and hopefully continues to.

You made some bad choices, but having spoken to you about them, you have been, from what I can tell, honest about your mistakes, and owned that you were at fault. I have never once heard you blame anyone else. Taking responsibility for your actions is one of the biggest signs of growth there is.

I wasn't there for your past, but as someone who has also grown a lot over the years myself, I believe it is not our poor actions that define us, but how we resolve and change and grow. If someone says they have learned, I try to allow them to prove that, and look at people for who they are now.

My tattoo you designed for me is still one of my favorite pieces of art.

I may need to get one of my other boy for the other side one of these days.

2. A large number of people in this fandom do not care about their artists.

They don't care you work hard for something they will enjoy.
They don't care that what they are doing hurts you in the long run.
They don't care that it's disrespectful.

I'm just moving away from art and onto more physical media, such as wood carving and burning.

Yes, there are tools that do that too, but they are pricey and not as easily accessible as AI.

And don't anyone dare say that art is not a real job.

Anything that pays the bills is a real job, and as far as this fandom goes, art is the backbone of this fandom.

Art is a luxury, not a right, and us artists work VERY hard to earn the money we charge for it.

I get it. AI can do some really amazing things, but it isn't fair to the artists who pour their heart into their work.

Even worse when it is their income, and us artists are already having a hard enough time getting commissions, just to watch our work get replicated for free.