ArtBistro

Try a WordPress blog.

With the free option, you get an address like "yourname.wordpress.com" They have many readymade themes to choose from and there are plugins for galleries. If you decide you like it, then you can sign up with a web hosting service to get an address like "yourname.com"

If you know html, or can use an html editor, WordPress has a feature called "pages" where you can post your own html creations including galleries.

I recommend WordPress to anyone new to internet publishing. It's opensource (free), all the documentation is available at their site and it has a large community that is constantly grinding out themes and new ideas.

If you don't know anything about the web, a blog is a fast and easy way to have your own website.

Every artist should have a blog. Even a tasty blogspot blog is better than no blog at all. I don't like blogspot, because they stick that logo strip at the top of all their templates, and removing it is very difficult (you have to scroll through lines of code to find it and then comment it out).

A WordPress blog is the most professional looking of blogs (no logos, no ads). Well, underneath the footer it says WordPress, but that can be removed. WordPress is used by thousands of professionals including Time, People's Magazine, Dow Jones... did I mention it's also free. There are several gallery pugins for WP. Here's an example of a nice one from a French photographer.

I don't think any client or employer is going to look down at a blog. I think they will enjoy the opportunity to see what it is you write about, and how well you write it. And, your fans will enjoy reading more about you, your process, and whatever announcements you may have about upcoming shows and events.

A gallery is basically a slideshow or a page of thumbs (like here on AB). You can make either really easy with Photoshop (file>automate). Or, with a little html, CSS and javascript, you can make one by hand.

I googled "flash slideshow". And. for as little as $10, you can put a flash slideshow in a blog. You don't even have to own or know anything about Flash.

In the end, you got to sell yourself to the client. A blog helps. Having a portfolio on that blog is even better. Having your own domain name is better still. Having a portfolio under your own domain name is best of all. Search-wise and prestige-wise.

In the very end, it's all about the product. If you got what the people want, they won't care if your portfolio is nothing but a free Flickr account.

My current blog is about web design.

Thank you Mason and mkinsey for your advice.  I'm definitely going to secure my domain name, and I never thought about directing the traffic to my blog (temporarily).  Very fine information, I will put to good use.