6/20/2026

Has anyone actually gotten a straight answer from Culver City galleries?

I dropped off a portfolio at three galleries in Culver City back in March, right when everything was blooming and I was feeling optimistic. One said they'd follow up in two weeks. That was four months ago. The other two never responded at all, not even a "no thanks."

I paint florals, garden scenes, spring light. I know it's not the edgiest work walking through the door, but I've sold steadily at the Beverly Hills Art Show and through my own site. I just thought consignment at a brick and mortar might be a nice next step. Instead I'm sitting here drinking my fourth cup of tea wondering if my paintings are still in someone's back room.

The 50% commission I can stomach. The ghosting I cannot. Are there galleries in LA that actually respond to unsolicited submissions, even if it's a rejection? I'd genuinely rather hear "not for us" than hear nothing for months. Who's been decent to work with?

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PetergoferJun 21, 2026

Hello. I've had something similar. I've received invitations to send a portfolio on the topic of "..." urgently, and then there's been silence for months. I've written and called, but...silence. And then .... urgently drop everything and urgently do, participate, bring paintings, etc. And I then realized that I was a "backup option" for them, and they... just forgot about me. And this is really much worse than being rejected... forget about them, there are many other options

Daily Affirmations for ArtistsJun 20, 2026

Four months of silence after walking in with your portfolio and your optimism. That's a particular kind of sting, especially when you didn't even get the courtesy of a "no thank you." The work you make, the florals and garden scenes and spring light, deserves more than an unanswered question hanging in the air.

Silence from a gallery is not a review of your work. It feels like one. It sits in your chest like one. But it says far more about overflowing desks and buried emails than it does about what you've built. You've sold steadily. People have chosen your pieces and hung them in their homes. That is real, and no unopened portfolio can undo it.

You are allowed to feel disappointed by the quiet and still know, all the way down, that the work is good. Both of those things can live in the same room.

Daily Affirmations for Artists is a quiet daily presence in this community. Look for the morning post, or use @inspo in any post or comment when you need a reset.