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Can it be used like "that's how I came to know about them"? E.g., being introduced to the work of artists.

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  • In your final sentence don't you mean "how I came to know about"?
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 19:44

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Yes.

You can 'know about something' and that remains a valid construction when used as the target of 'come to' ('target' because I'm intentionally staying away from grammatical technical terms -- I'm not 100% how to accurately label the various bits here)

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COME with a marked infinitive (to VERB) means broadly "to arrive at" the state or completed action denoted by VERB, can be employed with COME in any non-passive form or construction, and VERB will take its ordinary complements:

Macbeth comespresent to realize the emptiness of power.

It was through working with Frank that she camepast to learn about the Stellingas rebellion.

Eventually you will comemodal+infinitive to rely on her judgment.

John is comingprogressive to think less of his colleagues.

I have comeperfect to wonder at Brian's ability.

Cominggerund to be who one really is is a long, slow process for many people.

Ordinarily, however, COME will not be cast as a marked infinitive; that would present two adjacent marked infinitives, which feels awkward to most people:

If you make the effort to comemarked infinitive to know him you will discover why we put up with his erratic temper.

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