One of the many things I like about living in Tampa, FL is the array of art and cultural activities available in the area. With that said, this past weekend with a couple of friends I got the chance to visit an iconic local art venue, the Duncan McClellan Gallery, located in St. Petersburg.

Duncan McClellan is a “World-Renowned Glass Art Master”, and as one would expect, his labor of love for the glass art craft can be found throughout his Gallery.

Shortly after my arrival, I met the Gallery’s art director Mary Childs. She was unpacking a beautiful glass vase shipment that had just arrived. Mary gave me a quick synopsis on the gallery and quickly schooled me on how the artists get the brilliant colors in the glass. And since we were talking glass art, I can truly say I was blown away by the art on display. The Gallery features some of the most fascinating glass art from over 50 internationally acclaimed artists and over 90 total artists.

(Gallery Director, Mary Childs explains how rare the color process on a work of art is used in the USA)

The Duncan McClellan Gallery is so much more than a Glass Art Gallery. It’s a treasured work of art in itself. Duncan McClellan transformed a former 13,000sf fish and tomato packing facility into a multi-functional art education center all while creating the largest Glass Art Gallery in Florida.  The Gallery offers art education classes on a regular basis, which are taught by Master Artist Instructors on the different forms and technics of their respective art. The Gallery also has a mentor program in place that teaches the medium of Glass Art, the DMG School Project “Get Fired Up! ”

The Gallery extends outdoors with an open covered patio filled with both glass and non-glass sculptures. It would be the perfect venue for hosting an upscale catered or wine/art event. Upon our visit, we were lucky enough to meet the Duncan McClellan in the flesh, who was actually working on orchid grafting in the Sculpture Garden area, just off the gallery’s patio.

(Pictured Left: Local Artist and Musician Jodi Weiss, Artist Duncan McClellan and Janice Bornstein Telstar, a visitor and good friend with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.)

The Gallery also features a “Hot-Shop” for artists with a dedicated area for art lovers and visitors to view the artists as they create new works of art. I found this area of the Gallery very intriguing and loved watching the technics of the artist at work. I took a couple videos click here to see the action.  Video of Hot Shop in Action    Working the Kiln

The atmosphere at the venue was very low key, friendly and inviting. I loved this Gallery and I can’t wait to visit it again soon. I would highly recommend a visit!  It’s located just a short distance west of Tropicana Field (a few blocks west of (I-275) in the St. Pete Warehouse Art District at 2342 Emerson Avenue South, St. Peterburg, FL  for more info you can visit their website,  www. dmglass.com

Tripadvisor link;  Rank # 1 of 83 tours in St. Petersburg.

Contributed by: Martin J. Allred, Editor/Photographer

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