Mein Eyes! posted:

I've still got another year (blargh) left in my BFA, so this is a pressing issue at the moment, but I'm curious if anyone here has had experience working with galleries. I mean this in two senses - working for galleries, either helping to hang or sell or manage or just sit and work shifts; and getting work into galleries, either being part of non-school-related exhibitions or getting represented. I've had a few shows in galleries related to my university, but I'm not sure how to enter the extra-curricular, commercial sphere.

My mid-term plans at the moment are to try and volunteer/intern at a local gallery this fall to get some experience working in a commercial space, then either continue interning in Chicago or see if I can't get a paid position somewhere, while at the same time showing my work around to everyone who can see it.

As a painter, I'm pretty much settled on making my income off of a job either marginally related to art, or a completely art-unrelated day job, and in both cases supplementing that income with portraits and such until I start building a good sales record.