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.
