Why Going to Galleries is so Important
You're an artist, or you want to be. You love art! You love seeing art! But of course, sometimes life and work gets in the way and it's hard to find the time to stop in at galleries and check out work by fellow artists. Here's a few more reasons to motivate yourself.
You'd want people to see your shows...right?
This is the most obvious reason. It goes both ways - you as an artist would want people to come out to your openings and see shows,but by that logic you should get yourself out there and go check out a bunch of openings. There - you can do it, now no one else has an excuse not to!
Inspiration
Going to galleries is a great way to inspire yourself to create art of your own. Sure, you can look up images online, and surf through other artists internet portfolios, but nothing compares to seeing an art piece up close. I for one love being able to stand back and see an image as a whole, and then get as close as I possibly can to examine how exactly the artist produced such a great work. I've picked up some great artistic tips just from looking at other people's work.
Getting to know gallery people
As I've said many times before, the art industry is one where you need to know the right people to be successful. Gallery openings are a great way to network, even if it isn't your own work on display. There's bound to be gallery owners, curators, collectors and other artists at any given show - talk to all of them! Take advantage of the art-gallery bar, loosen up and be sociable. Even if you're at a gallery on a regular business day, it's a great idea to talk to the staff and ask questions about the artwork. Most gallery workers will be more than happy to tell you about the work that's on display.
Public support
Art galleries - especially ones that rely on government grants to stay open - need to prove that they are attracting the public and doing good business in order to stay afloat. As an artist, you should be pretty invested in keeping the arts alive in your community. Just going to galleries regularly is a great place to start, and show your support, and then you'll have a hand in keeping those institutions open for years to come.