We can all tell stories and do. Artists that have been around the block will never consign to a gallery without talking to other artists that have been in that gallery. With the internet it's more easy than ever to do this. A few years ago you had to know a few artists that had been represented by the gallery in question. Now, you can click on the gallery website see their artists and email the artists even if you don't know them.
The internet has made galleries far more nervous than ever because buyers can find the artists directly. It can be argued that much of the best work goes directly from easel to buyer.. this is the galleries' great fear - to become redundant. So, for several reasons the interent has been helpful to us painters. A large ad with one image and a website can show collectors dozens of paintings. I enjoyed very much Dan Sprick's recent ads that say "no gallery contacts please". He figures if he's paying for the ads and building his own fame he dosn't need them to cash out his investment.
There's a lovely new gallery in Providence, RI I recall. They built this thing from the ground up. They contacted some of my friends. When it opened it only represented unknown painters. Now it could be
that they found dozens of very skilled young unknowns and that would have been great! But, the gallery is simply full of weak work selected by unlearned eyes thinking their building would sell anything. After a few years of the real world, and after a new manager is hired they will be seeking selling, known painters.
