72 January/February 2020 StPeteLifeMag.com
DMG School Project
That leads us into the next phase of McClellan’s vision to expand
the gallery’s mission well beyond the creating, showing, and
selling of art glass. The DMG School Project was conceived and
developed to share the art of glass making with school age
children as well as to mentor and support emerging glass artists.
The mobile hotshop is deployed to schools in underserved
neighborhoods where the students not only learn about
glass blowing, but how many other subjects like chemistry
and algebra are applied. “They learn that many subjects are
relevant, not only to
glass blowing or art,
but to most realworld
endeavors,”
he says. “Our only
rule is that every
student in the school
participates.”
Needless to say, the
program is wildly
popular with up
to 400 students
attending at any one
visit.
The Residency
Program is another
active concept in
the DMG School
Project. Emerging
artists that are not
yet established,
or perhaps new
graduates, apply and are selected to train with Duncan and his
team for over a month. It covers not only the technical process
and design of art glass, but other vital elements in the business
of art, like marketing, managing, and successfully showing.
They receive this invaluable mentoring tuition free as well as a
stipend to cover living expenses during their time here. Upon
completion of the program, these protégés are given a show.
“Hopefully, they either make enough revenue to reinvest in
themselves moving forward, or leave with a body of work that
“It’s one of the most vitally important and, frankly, expensive
things that we do here at DMG.”
So how are these programs subsidized? “We do not have
fundraisers,” McClellan is very clear on this point. “We depend
on grants and all revenue from event rentals goes to pay for
these programs. We are also very fortunate to have incredibly
generous patrons who, upon learning about what we’re doing,
want very much to help.”
Duncan epitomizes the
spirit of collaboration
and a great desire
to showcase his
contemporaries. “We
have grown to become
one of the largest
glass galleries on the
East coast. That is due
in large part to our
artists.” McClellan,
clearly taught to share
in his formative years, is
thrilled with the advent
of more glass art in
St. Pete. The Morean’s
Chihuly Collection
has been a stunning
success adding another
hotshop in the ‘Burg,
and the newly opened
Imagine Museum is
causing more great
glass buzz. “St. Pete is
clearly a true destination for glass art and we’re so happy to be a
part of it,” he says.
Duncan says that the DMG motto is “More than a gallery.” It’s
of the year. Thank you, Duncan McClellan, for helping to plant
the seeds that have made the entire arts community of St.
Petersburg bloom.
Cindy Stovall covers the arts in St. Petersburg for St. Pete Life.
Visit The Gallery
Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. Etching classes are
held every third Saturday on the patio from 10 am – 2 pm at a cost of $35. It’s a
great opportunity to get your friends together and enjoy the lovely space that is
the Duncan McClellan Gallery. For more information, go to dmglass.com or call
855.436.4527. The gallery is located at 2342 Emerson Ave. South, St. Petersburg
SPOTLIGHT
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