We were lucky to catch up with Vickie J. Lin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Vickie J., looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later
For most of my life, I believed I’d have to spend 20 or 30 years climbing the corporate ladder before I could follow my dream of becoming a gallerist and curator. It felt like something that belonged in a “someday” category – after I’d proven myself and had earned enough to be financially stable through my career in B2B SaaS tech sales.
That plan changed overnight in August 2023 when I was laid off from my tech job. At the time, I had already participated in and helped organize numerous art shows as an artist myself. I also couldn’t ignore what I’d observed in the fine art world: a lot of spaces felt gatekept, and many didn’t feel particularly welcoming to women or femme-identifying artists.
In the middle of updating my résumé and sending out job applications, I realized I had an opportunity — maybe even an obligation — to build the kind of space I wished had existed for me and for others like me. That’s how Detox Gallery was born: as a leap into something radically different from my corporate career, and as an intentional community where emerging artists could find representation, support, and visibility without navigating the same barriers I had faced.
If I could go back in time, I would have started Detox Gallery much sooner — perhaps even in college. Back then, I had a stronger creative network and fewer of the “shoulds” and “musts” that can weigh you down as an adult. Owning and running a gallery had been my dream since childhood, and I wish I’d had the courage to pursue it before years of corporate life made it feel so risky.
That said, starting when I did gave me the business acumen, organizational skills, and resilience that come from working in high-pressure tech sales. I may have wished for more time in the art world earlier in life, but I know the gallery is stronger today because of the path I took to get here.
Vickie J., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’ve been immersed in art for as long as I can remember. I was put into formal art classes at the age of four, where I learned hyperrealism in graphite, watercolor, acrylic, and charcoal. As I grew into my teenage years, my work shifted toward a more abstract style, reflecting my evolving perspective and creative voice.
Despite my early passion, I stepped away from my art practice for nearly a decade. I chose what I thought would be a more stable and lucrative path, attending NYU’s Stern School of Business and building a career in the tech industry. My dream of owning an art gallery sat quietly in the background, especially since it was a dream that I thought I’d pursue decades later.
That changed in 2023, when I was laid off from my tech role. By that time, I had already participated in and organized several shows as an artist. I had also noticed a clear problem in the fine art world: many gallery spaces felt gatekept and unwelcoming, especially to women, femmes, LGBTQ, and BIPOC artists. In fact, according to the fine art market researcher Magnus Resch, only less than 10% of the sales made in the fine art industry are made by women artists. I wanted to create spaces and community events that challenged that – so DETOX GALLERY was born with the mission of making sure that emerging artists, no matter where they are in their journey as an artists, could gain access to high-end gallery spaces and art fair exhibition opportunities.
That’s how Detox Gallery was born. In just two years, we’ve produced nine large-scale group exhibitions across New York City and Dallas, Texas, and most recently exhibited at the Hamptons Fine Art Fair. Beyond in-person exhibitions, we connect local artists to both private and public art opportunities, helping them build sustainable careers and gain visibility in spaces that might otherwise be inaccessible.
What sets Detox Gallery apart is our mission and community. We’re not just curating shows – we’re building an ecosystem of support for artists who have historically been underrepresented in the fine art market. We offer a professional, polished platform while still creating an inclusive and accessible environment that encourages creativity and collaboration. Outside of art shows and helping artists sell their artwork, it’s essential for me as a founder to always make sure (with any business I start, not just with Detox Gallery but with my former company Venus Crystal Store, which was focussed on semi-precious minerals and meditation) that I am creating community through workshops, wellness events, and creating networking meetups. I truly believe that having the right community is essential to helping any person thrive, especially artists and creatives.
I’m most proud of the artists who have gone on to sell their work to private collectors, secure commissioned projects, or step into new gallery opportunities because of their connection with Detox Gallery. My hope is that our work continues to break down barriers, expand representation in high-end art spaces, and prove that art should be for everyone — not just those already “in the club.”
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Two years ago, I took what felt like a leap off a cliff. I closed a small but beloved crystal shop I had built from scratch — a space where I held sound baths and community circles for women and LGBTQ+ creatives — because I realized my true calling was in championing artists in a more sustainable way. Shutting it down meant walking away from steady income and a community I’d nurtured for years. But I also saw it as a pivot, not a failure.
I poured everything I had learned about community-building into launching Detox Gallery. In less than a year we went from scrappy pop-ups to securing a month-long show above David Zwirner in Chelsea. The first months were tough: I maxed out credit cards for venue deposits, hauled art across New York myself, and fielded rejection after rejection from sponsors. But every setback forced me to get more resourceful, which means negotiating better terms, building more genuine relationships, writing my own contracts, and building direct relationships with collectors and artists.
That journey taught me that resilience isn’t just about “grinding through” — it’s about being willing to change, repurpose your skills, and keep building community even when the form changes. Detox Gallery is thriving today because of those early moments of risk, and I still hold sound baths at shows to honor where I started.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing our clientele has been staying genuinely human. In the art world, people can feel when something is purely transactional I think the main goal with Detox Gallery is making sure that everything I do stems from real connection. Whether it’s curating an exhibition, hosting sound bath meditations, or simply taking time to learn an artist’s story, we focus on building trust and belonging first.
If I’m being honest, I haven’t been in full ‘growth mode’ this past year. I’ve slowed down and focused more on the community and wellness side — co-hosting sound baths and small workshops that feel meaningful instead of chasing big gallery metrics. For me, that’s what keeps people coming back: being genuine about where I am in the process and only doing things that feel aligned.
I think people can tell when something’s being built with real intention, not pressure. So even if Detox Gallery isn’t doing constant shows right now, the people who connect with it from artists, collectors, to friends, stick around because they feel the authenticity behind it.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://detoxgallery.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/detoxgallery
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickiejlin/
