I don't really need a "shallow end," even though I'm very much a beginner. What I do need is valid criticsm. To me, comments as simple as "Lovely," are just as useless as "Needs work," for example. In a forum that's dedicated to critiques, the people who frequent it are there for just that purpose. Who knows why folks leave some of the comments they do in the galleries when they're not instructive? Even if you were to figure out a way for co-opting the Beginner gallery, I don't see that as the total answer. More experienced artists want critiques and dialog, as well. What I was thinking about the Beginner gallery (mentioned in earlier post in this thread) is that maybe something should be said about the rating system; i.e., that people leaving ratings should remember that they're not rating experienced artists and should not hold the beginners to the same standards.