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[QUOTE=John Reidy]Unfortunately I have heard of a gallery in NC that utilizes the China sweatshops for portraits. The difference is that the gallery is up front about it. The price is very low compared to our market. . . . I theorize that at least it is promoting portraiture, just not fine art./QUOTE]
Frankly I'm horrified to hear that any art gallery, whether or not it is up-front about it, is doing this kind of thing. When I was in my early 20s, portraiture was still considered commercial art. After putting 30+ years into trying to change that perception, it offends me to think that a gallery that sells fine art would want to downgrade it when there are so many artists who can paint a person and, in the process, create a work of art. So what if it costs more money? It's worth it. What if this gallery offered copies of the art they sold for much less money? Even if no one bought it, it would be an insult to the artists they represent.
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