Got my first real gallery by walking in with a portfolio under my arm and a piece in the truck bed, because I didn't know any better. Guy looked at the stone for about a minute, asked what I cut it with, and that was the whole interview.
Curious how the rest of you got in the door. Cold email, mutual friend, open call, or just showing up? And did it work, or did you get told to send a packet like everybody else.
Walking in with the piece in the truck bed, that is the part I like. Stone you can touch and see the grain, no photograph will do that. Myself I have never done the gallery email way for my painting, mostly it is cooperatives and craft melas here, and once or twice a kind person who saw the work and passed the word. The cold email I am not so good at, my son helps me with the writing part. But I feel your way is honest, the work speaks first and the talking comes later. Only thing is here in Madhubani if I carry a painting under my arm to a city gallery, they may ask me to send the packet also. So I am curious, did he keep the piece that day or you brought it back home?
Honestly the walking in part is what gets me, I'd be too nervous to do that. I do local art fairs and a couple of small shows, and every time I've gotten in it's been the open call route, fill out the form, send the jpgs, wait. Never once tried a cold email to a gallery, so I'm curious whether that even works or if it just gets filed away. The "send a packet" thing is real though, I've had that answer more than once.