Here are my views:

I overall like the gallery system. It would be nice if we could have a "private" gallery for critique group purposes only. Once one of us was satisfied with the artwork, we could move it to the main gallery. (Question to gallery mods, if you move an image, do the comments move with it?) This would allow us to concentrate on constructive criticism as opposed to adulation and/or commiseration. As a viewer, I find it interesting to see other peoples comments on someone elses work, but get tired after a page of "ooh, shiny!". Sometimes images are related to real-world things. (Deaths, births, relationships etc.), and these works often tend to acrete page after page of non-artistic commentary.

I also wish there were a way (maybe there is) where you can look at the most recent images by your favorites. There are some favorite artists who I always want to see their works, and an overlapping set who I always (time permitting) would like to comment on. I want the option of browsing other critique group artists, even those who's work isn't usually to my liking. Currently, one can either be notified each time a given artist uploads a work, or not notified. If you want to keep up with works by the others, you have to visit their galleries individually.

I personally try to make at least a few critiques each week, and at least five to ten for every image I post. (I've been too busy the past few months to actually create anything.) 

My attitude in this group is generally pretty much founded on "if you don't have anything bad to say, don't say anything" :) If I can't offer a recommendation of how to improve an image, or a possible alternative to how part of the image is done, I generally won't say anything. The exception is if I think something is really good, and has something technical or aesthetical which is well worth pointing out to others. (And which comment will, hopefully, not get buried by pages of "ooh!, shiny!")

I think that the "closeness" of the gallery has dissipated a bit, because of the size, but I really don't think that it is a problem.