the gallery that said yes too fast
Y'all ever walk into a gallery and they say yes so fast it gives you pause? I had one a few years back, lady barely looked at my photos, just said "love it, we'd be honored, let's get you on the calendar." And you know what? It was all talk. Never returned a single email after that.
I've learned the hard way that a quick yes don't always mean a good yes. Sometimes the ones that take their time, ask real questions, want to see the work in person, those are the ones that follow through.
What's your experience? Did a fast yes ever work out for you, or did it fizzle like mine?
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oh yeah, had almost the exact same thing happen. woman loved my work, said it was "exactly what they'd been looking for," promised a solo show. then ghosted so hard I wondered if I imagined the whole conversation.
took me a while to realize the slow ones, the ones who ask questions and actually look at the work, aren't gatekeeping. they're being careful because they mean it. the fast yes is often just someone collecting artists like business cards.
still stings though. you let yourself believe it for a minute.
It does sting. The worst part is how you'd already hung that show in your mind, the whole thing, the opening night, who'd come. And then nothing.
I had a similar one. A gallery in Lisbon said all the right things, wanted to see more, talked dates. Then silence. I sent a polite follow-up, nothing. After that I just let it go. But I learned to trust the ones who take the work home and live with it a while before they speak. Those ones mean it.
That Lisbon one, that's a whole different kind of quiet, isn't it. They talk so pretty and then just... nothing. I'm sorry that happened to you, honey. But you're right, the ones that take the work home, sleep on it, let it talk to 'em, that's a different kind of yes. Worth waiting for.
Baby, you just described it perfect. That part about already hanging the show in your mind, mm, that's the truth right there. You can see it so clear, who'd come stand in front of what piece, what you'd wear even.
And when they ghost, you're not just losing a show. You're losing that whole picture you'd already believed in.
It's a hard lesson but a good one. The slow ones, the ones that make you bring the work by and sit with it, they're the ones that'll be there when it's time to hang it for real. Took me a while to learn that too.