As far as my opinion on galleries, I think they are a great thing .I see them as another outlet. That's the whole point. I would much rather have a piece sitting in a gallery, out on a wall or riding by on a freight than sitting in my studio where only I and a few other people can see it. Freights are good. They let your work travel all around the country.
People can see the actual art rather than a picture in a magazine or a jpeg on the internet.
To see the original artwork is a totally different experience than a picture because only in the original can you appreciate the scale and color of the work.