I've recently taken up photography. I've taken photos all my life, but last fall I started to look at it much more seriously. I'm not a prodigy or anything, but some of my stuff, IMHO, is decent. And I know I still have a lot to learn.

My husband's friend and his friend's fiancee own a gallery. It's a really down-to-earth, fun kind of gallery, not snooty at all, and they are both very nice. The fiancee invited me to the gallery's annual "call for art", an invitation for artists to show them portfolios of their work, and then they decide if the artist should be featured in the gallery. I assumed she did this because she looked at my stuff and thought it was decent. Maybe that was the wrong assumption, I'm not sure. But I mentioned it to my husband, and I said that I didn't think I was ready but that maybe I could show them my stuff and see what they thought. He was very encouraging, so I accepted the offer and told her I'd see her tomorrow.

Tonight at dinner I mentioned to my husband that I was nervous. I was looking for a few words of encouragement, but what I got was far from it. He basically said that he didn't think I was ready, that I don't compose my photos well and even stated, when directly asked, that he thought I would embarrass him (He's an artist himself, formally trained - has a BFA from a top art school, and works in design). I told him that I was insulted but he just kept going, making me feel even worse. The more I told him that I was hurt by his words the more blunt he got. I wanted to cry but we were in a restaurant, I couldn't even get up and walk away. And now I'm just so angry at him. I told the woman at the gallery that I would meet with her because he encouraged me! And then tonight he validated all my insecurities and told me I'd embarrass him.

So now I don't know what to do. I don't want to show them my work if I'm really not ready (and I don't think I am) but I already said I'd meet with her. Should I go or should I cancel? What would you do?