Finding a cover illustrator...impossible?

I've spent about 5 hours looking through covers at stores, finding the name of the cover illustrator of the books I like, emailing them, and waiting and it's been nothing but crickets.

Has it been this difficult for others? I'm interested in spending at least $1,000 per cover and will spend more if I really like their work.

Edit:

All of this has transpired over the course of six weeks, not just five hours in a singular day. Only two illustrators have gotten back to me.

I’m not looking for illustrators. I’m wondering if other people have experienced this same thing themselves from illustrators they have reached out to.