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Generally no artist should compare his/her work with other artist, because everyone has own styles/techniques and preferences. In my opinion, its totally fine as a way to get some inspiration, but thats it. I totally agree with you the missing input from less creative people around you. Just sneek into an art school and sit there in the libary, if there is one or into the cafeteria 😂. No seriously, I dont know where you‘re from, but I would go to free workshops or galleries and museums in my hometown just to surround myself with „artminded“ people, because its more likely to meet them there than in a grocery store. :)

I think I might have not explained myself well enough lol.
I don't compare myself to others in the sense of saying I'm better or worse. I'm just saying some people come up with things that would be hard for me to imagine on my own. I don't copy other people, but being inspired by others is normal and actually something that I don't do as often anymore. I mostly use inspiration from Gustav Klimt's work though.