History

Megan Beckler 2024

Megan Beckler is a self-taught photographic artist from St. Petersburg, Florida. Her journey in the arts began in 2002 with her first photography class. Megan began shooting with film and enjoyed the hands-on darkroom process. Over the next 20 years, she developed her signature style as she brought her film sensibilities to digital photography. Megan’s focus has been portrait photography and narrative.

Her photography has evolved over time. As for the subject matter, she began with self-portraits by exploring the creation of characters and narratives. Megan first worked with film, then on digital photography, and worked in mixed media using acrylic and ink photo transfers. The discovery of acrylic transfers helped her to create dimensional layered portraits using photography, color pigments, and resin. The combination of layering these various materials helped her explore the use of dimension and transparent imagery in creating surrealistic portraits. Her multi-layered glass portraits are the first step on the journey into the beautiful and challenging world of glass.

I achieve my portraits by kiln-forming decals of my photography combined with powders, inclusions, color, and light. I aim to create work that is enchanting to the viewer. The longer you spend with each piece, the more you will gather; examining each layer of glass and discovering the story that is held within. 

Shelly Steck Reale 2024

Shelly Steck Reale is a sculpture artist in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her work examines social and environmental issues through the use of art, creating a unique understanding in a way that words fail to express. She believes that art has a unique ability to lead its viewers to examine and question our cultural, political, gender, and societal norms in the hope that the viewing leads one to examine the world around them differently. Shelly’s work has earned numerous awards and is represented in several galleries in the Tampa Bay area.

Sometimes words fall short. That’s when visual arts have a profound ability to step in and open viewers up to a gut level perspective previously inaccessible.

The process of creating, exhibiting, and experiencing art wields a unique power to understand the world in different and imaginative ways. I hope my work illuminates ideas that encourage an examination of views, sparks new ways of thinking, and serves as an impetus for change.

Traer Price 2024

Traer Price is a designer committed to celebrating the power of visual expression to connect us with ourselves and each other. Traer is a multidisciplinary designer whose career has spanned corporate and nonprofit graphic design; a thirty-year career in the water feature show choreography; and an artisanal jewelry design and fabrication business under the name Traer Price Design.  Throughout her experience in different facets of the design field, Traer has experienced the homecoming of allowing her inner landscape to be seen, both in the aliveness of her own heart and in the reflected connection in others’ eyes.  Traer finds fulfillment in facilitating others’ expression of their truest selves. 

Traer has been fortunate to spend time at DMG exploring glass in two ways, first in the application of her graphic expression developed through ink drawing and in her copper jewelry on blown glass vessels provided by Duncan McClellan Gallery and second in investigating bas-relief cast glass pendants for incorporation in her jewelry line. In both cases a container of making as a way of knowing and connecting infused conversations with other artists, both visiting and staff, for a rich and profoundly meaningful immersion in the DMG glass community.

Daniel Alexander 2019

It was an amazing experience working at DMG School Project in 2019. I had the opportunity to create a body of work, experiment with new ideas, and fine tune my process.

The staff was very supportive and empowering. The work I focused on was extremely large scale and required a team to create. It was reassuring to have a crew of people that are looking out for the gaffer and ready to step in at the drop of a dime! Duncan and the team at DMG are inspiring, encouraging, and have an energy like no other studio I have worked in! Thanks DMG!!!

Jeremiah Jacobs 2019

The residency was nothing short of amazing!  It had started the day after the 2019 Glass Art Society Conference which was held here in St. Petersburg.   2019 GAS was the first glass conference I had been too and I was even invited to be part of a collaborative demo at DMG which was very successful.  The excitement of the conference gave us a tremendous amount of energy as we started the residency, filling our heads with endless possibilities and potential.

The residency was a tremendous growth opportunity, and grow we did!   We were able to attempt things we had been unsure were possible.   Some pieces took four days to prep and eight people to assemble.   With great risk can come great reward (that was the thinking anyway).   Personally, I experienced a significant  amount of loss which I think is directly tied to an equal amount of personal growth, and thus the basis of the entire premise of the residency was achieved!

It would be impossible for me to say enough great things about Duncan McClellen and the DMG Hot Shop and team.  My experience with this organization has changed my life!  I arrived at DMG a production potter willing to pull weeds just to learn.  Now seven years later, I enjoy a career as a full time glass artist.  I literally could not have done it without DMG!

Steven Hagan 2018

I’ve never worked so hard in my life.  I was very aware of the investments being made for me to be there and I wanted to match that with my effort.

Aya Oki  2018

This residency taught me about the relationship between myself, galleries, and my audience.  I truly grew as an artist.  DMG is a great environment to get inspired and grow.

Nikolai Morse 2018

“The residency allowed me to move from technique to expression. Activating my pieces is necessary. I’ve spent my time focusing on techniques and never pushed myself into the market. To be surrounded by a team that pushes you into the market helps me value my time and effort. I have learned how to do it sustainably and this residency has been the push I need to continue down the road of producing glass art.”

Eli Cecil

“This residency has been a spring board for my career. I was feeling like I was on the cusp of a new body of work and this opportunity has provided a much-needed push to hone in on those skills. The residency also allowed me to connect my concept with the work I’ve been creating. The ability to take risk and try new techniques has been a game changer for me. It has allowed for much needed research and development and I’m ready to explore with my new-found confidence and apply this experience to future projects.”

Jack Gramann 2017

“It was an absolutely incredible experience. It gave me the opportunity to chase my ideas without losing them. I was able to make something and walk across the way to see how it looks in a professional gallery.”

John Shoemaker

“After being in glass for 10 years I understand the value of being able to go into a studio without having to worry about the financial restraints of working with hot glass.  Fortunately, the residency took care of all the expenses for us, so we could create a new body of work and explore our ideas.  It allowed us to take risk and try those new ideas.”

Raven Skyriver 2016

“Working in your hot shop, was such an amazing opportunity to experiment and problem solve. Without that financial pressure of studio rental and hiring help I was able to test ideas and make some completely new pieces. Forms that I had been trying to figure out how to approach but hadn’t taken the time to work through in the hot shop.”

Nicolas Emeric 2015

One of our first emerging glass artist, Nick, is the current manager of Hot Sand Glass Studio and Gallery in New Jersey.

Richard Logan

“The thought of combining glass with my current work of metal and photographic transfer was very exciting. For you to have the faith in my ability to add a medium that I had very little experience with gave me the confidence to stretch even farther outside my comfort zone. Initially my thoughts went to etching since I had some experience with that process but quickly I became excited about other possibilities such as slumping, casting, and fusing.”

Jake Pfeifer

One of our first emerging artists in residents was Jake.  We are happy to say he is the current owner and operator of Hot Glass Alley in New Jersey.

Raven Skyriver

“The strongest piece that I made during my time there was a form that I had never tried, the sea turtle. This is one of the most time consuming and complicated pieces that I have made, and I honestly wouldn’t have attempted it without the stress-free time to explore.

I didn’t know what to expect having never been there before, but the studio surpassed my expectations. There was every piece of equipment that a person could need, and I think I utilized just about all of it. Everything was in good working order and your staff where talented, friendly, and helpful in every regard.”

Mariel Bass

You have enriched my life and work as an artist. I truly appreciate your help and look forward to giving back this season by sharing what I learned with the many students who will join us at St. Pete Hot Glass for glass classes offered through DMG School Project and made possible by all of you.

Jacob Stout

“While cost is the biggest factor to creating new work in glass, it also requires the right facility and an experienced crew. The St. Petersburg Hot Glass Workshop obviously recognizes this and put forth a tremendous effort to ensure the most deluxe studio and a highly competent staff was prepared for this residency.”