Roman Loranc - exhibit opening - San Anselmo Dec 13

**David Spivak-Focus Magazine** · 23-Jan-2009, 19:04

Well, I made an offer to the gallery director that if they keep their doors open at least until after AIPAD, we'll run a page on their gallery. Smaller galleries, exhibiting up-and-coming artists are the foundation of the market and if the foundation fails... you know what's next.

**Merg Ross** · 24-Jan-2009, 13:46

Originally Posted by QT Luong

I find the idea of donating prints to a gallery strange. First, a gallery is a business, not a charitable organization. Second, most likely the gallery is not going to be able to sell your donated print. If sales were brisk, it wouldn't be in trouble. The best way to help is to buy. Most galleries carry less expensive items, such as books. Equally important is to spread the word, possibly in influential media such as magazines and (more easy) blogs.

Donations are paramount to the success of a certain type of gallery. There are membership dependent galleries and there are independent commercial galleries. Earlier in the thread I mentioned several galleries that have been open for many years. They are 501(c) 3 operations, which aside from membership, rely on print donations for auction, along with print sales from exhibitions, plus a network of volunteers. Commercial galleries operate quite differently, and as you suggest, would not be receptive to donated works. They must rely on print sales for the major portion of their income. Bottom line, buy and keep them open.

**gregstidham** · 24-Jan-2009, 23:34

I made a decision a couple years ago to spend less on gear and more on artwork.

My wife and I purchased one of Roman's prints from this show and we enjoy it very much. I enjoy it much more than some new piece of gear that I really don't need to make my own art. I say - shoot with less gear and build an art collection.