Artisans have been using glass casting for centuries to create both beautiful and functional objects. This versatile process involves melting and molding glass to make a variety of items, such as jewelry, decorative objects, and practical items. Glass casting is a fascinating and rewarding craft that combines technical and artistic challenges. From the ancient Egyptians to modern-day craftspeople, this craft has stood the test of time.
The lost-wax method is a highly precise and accurate technique used for crafting intricate objects, including jewelry. This method involves creating a mold around a wax model, which is then removed by melting. This creates a cavity where the glass flows in, capturing fine details. The wax model is only used once and is expendable, making it a one-time-use material for the casting process.
Don and Serena David create their hand-carved and cast glass jewelry in Palm Coast, Florida. Don begins his design process by sketching his idea on a piece of wax and then using various tools to carve the design out. Once the carving is complete, he pours a plaster mold around the wax piece. He sets the mold and melts the wax out using the lost-wax casting process. Next, Don places the molds into the kiln and melts the glass, pouring it into the mold. The glass remains in the kiln for approximately 24 hours. Once it is removed from the mold, Don grinds the back flat and sandblasts the front to give it a beautiful matte finish.
Don uses a wax carving to create the shape of his silver pieces. He then attaches the carving to a flask, pours plaster around it, and melts out the wax. After that, he pours silver into the mold and quenches it in water. Finally, Don files and polishes the silver before attaching it to the glass.
Come See For Yourself
We are always excited to welcome in new pieces by Don David Designs. The intricate designs and vivid color of their jewelry immediately catch the attention of our visitors and staff. To view our collection of their work, visit their page in our online gallery. Or, stop by to view the magical results of the lost-wax method for yourself. We'd love to show you!
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First-time visitors to Brenda McMahon Gallery often inquire about our distinction as a full-service gallery compared to other local galleries. It's a legitimate query! Galleries exhibit various business models, philosophies, and objectives.
Public understanding of the inner workings of art galleries is rather hazy. Essentially, an art gallery serves as a refined exhibition venue for showcasing and selling exquisite artworks. It acts as the representative, advocate, and distributor of the artists' exquisite creations.
Not all galleries are designed equally. While most art galleries operate in a similar manner, there are varying types of galleries that follow different procedures. Let's examine the functions of a full-service gallery like Brenda McMahon Gallery.
A full-service gallery is considered the 'most preferred' type of art gallery for artists or collectors, and it plays a vital role in both the artists' careers and the community it serves. Most full-service art galleries have diverse activities, each with a unique business approach. However, they all have core practices.
To be a bit more in-depth, let us dive into specific elements:
At Brenda McMahon Gallery, we work together with multiple artists, agreeing to act as their representatives and provide support. This entails displaying, promoting, selling, and distributing their artwork. Through this process, artists can support themselves and advance their professional development, as well as grow their customer base and artistic portfolios.
The gallery earns a commission from the sale of the artworks, benefiting both the gallery and the artist. Promoting talented artists and helping them flourish enhances the gallery's reputation. Our approach is not only successful but also enjoyable and captivating.
Full-service art galleries like ours curate works from emerging and established artists for a unique identity. They handle insurance, supervision, installation, press interest, invitations, and promotion.
A robust portfolio is crucial for any art gallery. The caliber of the artists in your portfolio directly affects the gallery’s reputation. Both the artist and the gallery gain from the advancement of specific artist careers, as it boosts their respective reputations.
Full-service art galleries create an exhibition program which becomes part of their identity. A solo exhibition features one artist, while a group show includes multiple artists.
Our Artist of the Month Program is an excellent example of a solo exhibition. Nearly every month, Brenda McMahon Gallery showcases the work of an established or emerging artist with promotion, a show opening during Gulfport’s First Friday Art Walk and an opportunity for the artist to grow their customer base by hosting an artist meet and greet. These have been overwhelmingly successful to the artist and for the gallery. It also engages the gallery with the community.
A key function is selling and distributing artworks of represented artists. Galleries act as dealers, managing transportation, invoicing, value monitoring, and sold artwork tracking. They become the primary point of contact for any inquiries regarding a particular artist, like ours, and arrange commissions for the artists. We provide insured shipping on all sold works as well as free pick-up.
Full-service galleries like ours often involve the public in creative workshops or artistic trainings. This is accomplished through our Taste of Art Program, which has welcomed numerous aspiring artists since its launch in 2019. Participants receive weekly trainings from professional artists to learn how to create art, including ceramics, paintings or glass art. It provides an opportunity for art enthusiasts to create their own work, while also showcasing our gallery to the public. Taste of Art has become a significant event in our community and for our gallery.
Our gallery is dedicated to assisting artists and consumers alike. Visit Brenda McMahon Gallery in downtown Gulfport to learn more about our operations. We prioritize transparency and value meaningful conversations!
]]>Glass casting is an intriguing technique that artists use to melt glass and pour it into a mold, creating a stunning piece of art. The most commonly used techniques in this enduring ancient art form are kiln casting and sand casting. Artists are increasingly using the lost wax casting method, fueling the popularity of the method. This further enhances the appeal of this art form. Glass casting enthusiasts have passed down this versatile and captivating creative avenue for generations.
Kiln casting involves delicately placing chilled glass onto a mold inside a kiln. First, the kiln reaches scorching temperatures, causing the glass to undergo a remarkable transformation and flow into the desired shape dictated by the mold. Then, after the metamorphosis is complete, the object is gently cooled and annealed as the kiln gracefully returns to room temperature.
The artist carves or molds serpentine sand to create the basis for sand casting. Next, the artist fills the mold with molten glass using a ladle and allows it to cool. Finally, after the sand is removed, the artist reveals a flawlessly formed cast in the solidified glass.
The lost wax casting technique involves artists creating a mold around a wax model, and then melting out the wax. This process enables artists to create intricate and detailed glass pieces. However, when casting thicker pieces, artists face challenges, and the annealing stage becomes more time-consuming. To ensure the quality of an eight-inch-thick piece of material, it needs up to three weeks of careful annealing in the kiln. On the other hand, a one-inch-thick piece often successfully anneals in just about 24 hours.
One of our jewelers, Don David Designs, uses a lost wax casting process to make beautiful jewelry by placing the hand-cast glass on sterling silver.
Susan's Technique
Susan frequently uses a rigid sand mold technique, which allows precision and the capacity to work on a large scale. First, she infuses interior images, symbols, inclusions, and color into the glass before it cools. Then, after annealing, each casting becomes one-of-a-kind due to the destruction of the individually created mold. Next, the surfaces of the glass sculpture can be enhanced with enamels, copper, gold leaf, patinas, and etching after grinding and polishing. Finally, the combination of glass, steel, and stone enhances the sculpture's natural elements. Susan expresses this ancient connection to the contemporary in an articulate yet raw manner while still preserving her aesthetic concerns through the use of sand casting.
To view our collection of cast glass art, visit Brenda McMahon Gallery in person or shop our online gallery at brendamcmahongallery.com/collections/glass/cast-glass.
]]>Yupo paper is a unique surface that is different from the traditional painting surfaces that most artists use. Its glossy texture makes it easier to paint on and provides greater control as it does not absorb the paint. This allows artists to easily correct and adjust their artwork by wiping it with a damp cloth or paper towel.
Yupo was originally developed for the printing industry, but artists soon discovered its many benefits. Unlike conventional paper made from wood pulp, Yupo paper is made from oil-based synthetic resins. This gives it plastic film-like characteristics that are noticeable to both the artist and viewers. The paper is also moisture-resistant and durable, outperforming regular paper surfaces. When used with watercolor paint, the paint only dries by evaporation. This leaves no absorption by the paper, unlike regular watercolor paper. This allows for interesting textures to form while the paint dries.
Many artists have started preferring Yupo paper due to its bright whiteness, providing an ideal contrast for bold artistic creations. Painters like Amanda who work with deep colors often prefer this brightness. Its unique stain-resistant surface also allows artists to build up layers of paint and water, resulting in patterns and techniques that are not achievable on traditional paper
Yupo paper offers a "lifting" quality for artists, meaning that they can redo specific areas of their painting multiple times, just like an oil painter working on a canvas. The paper also has excellent color clarity. Colors remain true to what is on the palette even after multiple layers of paint have been added. Also, its absorbency doesn't make the watercolor paint dull, and you can easily remove layers of paint to reveal the white of the sheet.
The paper itself is recyclable and considered an environmentally friendly product as well as reusable, which is a win for the art community! As an especially durable synthetic paper, Yupo enters the waste stream at a far slower rate than conventional papers. A polypropylene plastic film, it is fully recyclable and will remain inert in any approved landfill. Safely incinerated in a modern incinerator with an atmosphere of excess oxygen, it will yield only water, carbon dioxide, and ash.
Since Amanda focuses heavily on marine life and seascapes, this is an environmental advantage that is very important to her. A typical painting by Fullerton depicts turtles swimming through the ocean alongside schools of fish, showcasing her love for the environment. Stop by Brenda McMahon Gallery to see for yourself the difference this unique surface makes to a painting!
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What’s the difference?
When utilizing acrylic paints, the pigments are mixed with water, commonly referred to as the base. Acrylics are popular because they can create bright colors, partly because they have less oil than other paints. Oil paints offer a wide range of vibrant colors, making them an ideal choice for many subjects.
If you're trying to decide between acrylic and oil-based paints, you should consider the finish. It is important to note that acrylic paint typically exhibits a flatter and more matte appearance. The colors may appear darker when dry than when wet. If you want a shinier finish, you can add glosses to the paint while you're painting or as a final layer. On the other hand, oils naturally have a high-gloss and smooth finish that can look delicate but is actually very durable once it dries. This makes it a good choice for techniques that require depth and texture.
There is No Right or Wrong Decision
Choosing between oil and acrylic works can be a difficult decision due to the difference in cost and materials required to create them. However, it is important to remember that the value of a piece does not solely depend on the medium used. Historical context plays a significant role in how we perceive the value of art. Oil paints were developed in the 12th century and have been used by respected artists such as Van Gogh and Caravaggio, cementing our appreciation of oil paintings. On the other hand, acrylics only gained popularity in the last century, and have still produced many great artworks.
Ultimately, when choosing any piece of art, it is best to rely on your own personal preferences and emotions. Don't let the medium be the only deciding factor. Consider how the piece of art makes you feel, how it will complement your home decor, and how it fits into your overall aesthetic. Trust your eyes and your heart to guide you towards the perfect painting for you!
Come See for Yourself!
Come explore our diverse collection of paintings at Brenda McMahon Gallery, showcasing a variety of styles from abstract expressionism to realism to portraiture in both oil and acrylic. Our talented painters are among the best in the region, and we invite you to visit and experience their artwork firsthand. You can also view our collection at any time by visiting https://brendamcmahongallery.com/collections/paintings
Additionally, we offer a four-week painting class taught by gallery artist Jila Davoodi, where students can learn how to use oil and acrylic paints and create their own unique pieces. Join us and unleash your inner artist!
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First, I craft hand-thrown vessels on the potter's wheel. When they dry, I polish them with a stone to create a smooth surface. Once complete, the pieces are fired in a kiln with organic materials, leading to distinctive surface patterns and gentle hues of color. The saggar-firing process produces a striking array of smoky blacks and grays, complemented by fiery shades of orange, salmon, pink, and burgundy. I call the abstract landscapes and cosmic imagery “fire paintings.”
In the firing, as the flames mark the surface, a natural fume is left behind, yielding the soft, earthy colors you see. The hues observed in the clay are a direct response to the different combustion materials utilized during the saggar firing process. As a result, organic, ethereal colors and patterns emerge, creating enchanting, natural designs on the outside of the vessel.
Finally, I craft the handles beneath the lid from naturally sourced wood and embellish them with precious stones. My vessels serve as artistic expressions and are not suitable for containing water due to the absence of a glaze.
I love experimenting with natural materials and the markings fire leaves on earth through saggar firing. Each saggar firing creates unique impressions and coloring on my vessels, like the unpredictability of waves on the shoreline.
I’d love to show you more of my saggar-fired vessels in person and I always enjoy talking with visitors and other artists about the process. Discover a stunning array of vessels at Brenda McMahon Gallery, both in-person and online at Brenda's Vessel Gallery. Explore my expansive collection and find the perfect piece for your home or collection!
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Visitors to Brenda McMahon Gallery in downtown Gulfport are familiar with the diversity in medium and styles of our artists. Often visitors to the Gallery fall in love with a particular artist’s work but don't find a piece that’s right for their home décor. This is where one of the most rewarding aspects of being a professional artist comes in – the commission process!
The commission process can alter slightly from artist to artist. First, the client expresses an interest and the Gallery connects them with the artist. This conversation between client and artist is where some basic design concepts are agreed upon. For instance, some customers have a clear idea of the piece they’d like, the colors they prefer and the size. As a result, it’s a straightforward direction for the artist to take. But other times, customers prefer the artist to take their inspiration from an idea presented or a specific object they’d like represented through art. Either way, our artists strive to produce the piece you are looking for, while always maintaining their compass on aesthetic and design. Here are a few recent commissions!
Painter James Rivoli began his career as a fine art painter more than five decades ago. These days, however, he enjoys immortalizing people’s dream cars in custom paintings. For instance, he’s recently been working on several commissions, including this beautiful Jaguar Triumph T3 for a couple in Michigan.
James works from cropped photos, capturing classic car 'jewelry' with reflections in the chrome bumpers and headlights. As a result, the viewer is pulled past the car and into the moment. James will design the composition and do a custom automotive portrait for anyone interested. For a typically sized 16x 20, the process takes about a month. To see more of James' beautiful works, visit brendamcmahongallery.com/collections/james-rivoli.
(Commissioned painting of a Jaguar Triump T3 by James Rivoli)
I’ve been commissioned for several representations of the Tree of Life for clients over the years. I always enjoy the unique perspective the buyer brings to the process. Working closely with the client to determine colors and size, along with optional stones or glass, gives me a peak into the client’s preferred aesthetic...and personality! It’s a wonderful, two-way creative process. Here’s a picture of a recent installation with my gallery manager for another happy client!
If you’d like to commission a piece, reach out to us anytime at brendamcmahongallery@gmail.com. We’d love to work with you! To keep up with our new work follow us on social media @brendamcmahongallery.
]]>Artful Addresses are a wonderful way to put an art mark on your home or business! Each Artful Addresses is handmade from clay and custom-designed in my ceramic studio in Gulfport. Visitors to Brenda McMahon Gallery often comment on the one I created for my own business. They are not only inspired by the artful options, but also by our collection of jewelry, paintings, glass and ceramics. I love helping clients come up with design ideas and size options for their own Artful Address.
(Artful Address hanging outside Brenda McMahon Gallery)
The process is a creative and always fun endeavor between the client and me, blending their creative vision with my own. Here’s how it works: You start with an image or idea of an image, then choose your size and colors. I'll provide a drawing of the concept and then we collaborate to finalize the design for your ceramic address. Some clients want simple numbers and colors to match their garden design. Others want a rendition of a heron landing on the bayou or the view of the ocean and palms that surround their home. Still others want me to take the lead after they offer ideas. It’s a truly collaborative journey in my clay studio.
(Brenda in her ceramic studio in Gulfport creating an Artful Address)
I can remove clay around the numbers, creating a linen texture; or carve around them, creating an active rhythmic feel. Both techniques allow the numbers pop up from the surface. Some clients put a hidden message in their Artful Address or add glass and stone. The possibilities are as endless as the imagination!
Once created, I seal, weatherproof, and prepare each Artful Address with an aluminum hanging bracket before the client picks it up. I also offer a rain guard, if needed. I can design an address to hang horizontally or vertically, depending on your need. Security locks are also available for an additional fee. When you pick up (or we ship) your address, it comes with the mounting bracket and hanging instructions. Two screws and your ceramic Artful Address is on the wall! We love installation shots so we can share your creative journey with our prospective clients.
I’m always delighted when clients reach out to me for an artful address, knowing that my art will find its rightful home. If you are looking to add a creative flair to your home, stop by Brenda McMahon Gallery in downtown Gulfport and let’s talk. You can also email me at brendamcmahongallery@gmail.com. I’d love to collaborate on a beautiful Artful Address with you!
As a fine art gallery owner selling paintings, sculpture and ceramics, it is my job to get the right art into peoples homes in the St. Petersburg area. This is always a joy, but sometimes the experience is taken to another level. The sale of the acrylic painting, Dog Beer, by Patricia Kluwe Derderian was one such experience.
Jerry came into the Gallery with his daughter and some friends from the Villages. They were appreciating the glass, pottery and local and regional fine art they saw. Then Jerry laid eyes on Patricia's painting of our beloved Gulfport Brewery and he knew he had to have it!
Not only does our Gallery offer great art, we offer extraordinary service. Brenda McMahon Gallery always offer free delivery on large paintings in and around our region. We know not everyone has the right vehicle to get it home, so we gift this option. In this case, we brought the painting to Jerry's St. Petersburg home. Upon entering, he showed us his extensive art collection. You see Jerry and his wife of 65 years, Lynn, traveled the world together, visiting dozens of countries and sharing thousands of adventures. One of their shared passions was collecting art from their travels. It was a meaningful collection, they had everything from Murano glass and African sculptures to R.C. Gorman paintings and more. Some artists were famous, others not.
Here's the backstory. In 2022 Jerry and Lynn left their east coast community of 25 years to be closer to family on Florida's west coast. Two months later Lynn got sick and shortly after that, she passed away. As you can imagine, Jerry was heartbroken. He had left his friends and within months, his wife slipped away.
When Jerry saw the painting, Dog Beer, he recognized it as the last place he and Lynn went together before she fell ill. It was not only his painting, it was their painting. As a result, he immediately purchased it.
When the artist, Patricia Kluwe Derderian created her beautiful painting, she could have never known it would have such meaning to its new owner. As a result, when she heard the story, she cried, for Jerry's loss and pain and for the joy it brought him. Dog Beer is embued with Patricia's love of painting and now it resonates in Jerry's home, with his love of fine art and his final memory of his beloved Lynn.
It humbles me, as an artists and a Gallery owner, how art moves people. I believe art is a transaction of the heart, fueled by desire. The money passed back and forth to 'purchase it', is nothing short of an expression of love.
Thank you Jerry, for sharing your story!
]]>One of the most delightful and rewarding aspects of my career as a ceramic artist is the ability to work one-on-one with art lovers from across the country (and a couple of other countries as well) during the commission process. Oftentimes we’ll have visitors to our contemporary craft/fine art gallery who fall in love with a piece of work but aren’t sure it fits their home décor and would prefer something more personal or intimate. This is where the commission process comes in!
Commissions are a great way to help design that perfect piece of artwork for your home and a wonderful way to become an intimate part of the creative process. In this process, I bring clients right into the ceramic studio where you get the feel for the life of an artist in a local arts community. Each commission brings its own excitement, with each one a new adventure undertaken by just the client and me!
Before there is any commitment, we begin with a discussion of what you're looking for, colors you're drawn to, clay textures you like and a size ceramic wall mural that works. It is as much or as little of a collaborative process as you make it!
I create an estimate for the artwork and a contract. Once the contract is signed and a small deposit is placed, it's official, we're working together and you're in the queue. Welcome to art being created in the St. Petersburg arts community!
I often have a waiting list, so about a month before you're next on the table, we work on design. When the design is approved, a one-third down payment is required. We are ready to begin!
During the creation of your piece, I photograph the development of it while working in my clay studio and share it with you so that you may see the process unfold visually. At any point I encourage input and at critical stages I discuss my next step, ensuring we're both on the same page. Once the final fired ceramic mural is approved, the artwork is framed and set for pickup, delivery or shipment.
Commissions take much more time and input, and though there is a premium set on that, the overall cost is not cost that much more. The price is all inclusive with conversations, samples, photos, changes, and whatever else is needed.
So if you stop by our downtown Gulfport contemporary craft, fine art gallery and see something you that moves you but isn’t quite right for your home, or you see a piece on social media or in our advertisements that speaks to you and want to commission a piece designed to your desired aesthetic, send me at note at brendamcmahongallery@gmail.com.
I'd love to start a new commission adventure with you!
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My Margherita left this earth a year and a half ago but it feels like yesterday. I still talk to her everyday, think-share funny stories with her and miss her beautiful smile and easy laugh.
I walk daily by the memory of our time together. I am reminded of the fun we had each time the music moves me to dance in front of the Gallery. Margherita was shy, but she always got up to dance and damn, she could move!
Mom lived her older years the way she probably wanted to live in her younger ones. She had friends, socialized and always needed to be on the go. When she grew up, the child of immigrant Italian parents in Brooklyn, her future was almost scripted. Meet a man, get married, have children. She wanted more, but the time did not offer her options.
Had she been able to choose, I don’t think motherhood would have been first on her list. In some ways, that’s why she was such a good mother. Mom did not coddle us, she was fierce. She had high standards and strong opinions. She was also a fervent feminist. Once she learned what feminism was, she was one of its greatest proponents.
Margherita taught her children as she learned. We lived in New York and she brought us to the theater, to museums, to off broadway plays. She learned how to camp and put up a tent so she could take her girls on vacation. She encouraged us to work from a young age, open bank accounts and understand how to save and when to spend money. She wanted us to have everything she was not offered. That was the beginning of mom’s generosity. It went on and on.
When I quit my career in broadcasting to become an artist, she questioned me, but ultimately encouraged me. After 23 years on the road traveling, she wanted me to stay closer to home, so when the Gallery idea materialized, she loved it. Margherita was my greatest advocate and my closest friend.
A child of the 50’s she didn’t know how to navigate sexuality with her girls or herself, so when it came up she was awkward, but she moved through it. Margherita learned how to understand the new openness of the 1980’s (from sexual expression to marijuana : ) and ultimately benefited from it herself as her circle of friends and acquaintances grew with love compassion and a ton of fun!
My Margherita was complex. Her 84 years ended too quickly, with no warning and perhaps before it should have. I cannot change that, instead I choose to celebrate her that is within me, not only in memory, but also in attitude. My feminism is her early voice, developed and refined; my joy of community is her shyness shedding its skin and my art appreciation is her love of Manhattan and all it had to offer.
This second mother’s day without my Margherita is bittersweet. Bitter because I still feel the sting of her loss and sweet because I have a thousand memories of love to revisit.
Margherita Maria Josephina Iorlano went from my mother, to my friend and ultimately to my child. She first protected, then educated, then set me free, only to come back and lean into my love, to trust me as her world began to dim and her memory fade.
My heart has the still tender wound that has yet to scar over. Wrapped around that wound is the salve of knowing that we were complete when she left and I shall see her again.
I hope you join us in celebrating your beautiful mother during our Margherita Mother’s Day Sale in the Gallery this year on May 14th.
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Our town is filled with art – from the wonderful and innovative sculptures at the entrance to town at Clymer Park, to the dozens of artists’ studios sprinkled throughout our streets and alleyways, to the small business community that not only welcomes local artists to hang or sell their art in their storefronts, but that actively and wholeheartedly participate and sponsor our local arts events.
From my first days in town, to the opening of the Gallery in 2019 and through today, I’ve felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to belong to such a creative community. Since opening, I and my team have worked to make this art in Gallery a destination for artists and arts lovers, visitors to town just passing through and above all to our wonderful local community.
Through artist openings each First Friday of the Month to coincide with Gulfport’s First Friday Art Walk and music each third Saturday to accompany our local artisan market, IndieFaire, we’ve created a fun, safe space for our local community and are refreshed again each month to see faces new and familiar coming to support the nearly 20 rotating artists we represent, the musicians we host and, I hope, to feel that sense of imagination and creativity that drew so many of us here to begin with!
Our monthly Taste of Art Workshops have been a remarkable hit with community members attempting their hand at art for the first time, or those looking to rekindle some artistic skill they may have set aside. I find such professional satisfaction each month from the ceramics workshop I teach, seeing the handcrafted tiles our workshop participants create and take home and a great personal joy in knowing these pieces of art become works they proudly share with friends and family. I'm equally thrilled to see the works coming out of painter Jila Davoodi's painting workshops, which are also offered monthly. Educating others through and about art is one of the most rewarding parts of the my career.
At its best, art brings people together, and being a part of this community, with the role the Gallery has assumed as one of its gathering places, is a true blessing. We’re proud to represent, host and showcase our town and the Tampa Bay region’s diversity of talent on our walls and in our customer base, in the musicians we invite to join us and in the special events we host here in Gulfport, Florida.
As we approach next Friday’s 4-year anniversary, we’re looking forward to seeing new friends and old, to continuing to contribute to Gulfport’s artistic resurgence and to welcoming even more people into our local arts scene. Our anniversary party runs from 6-9pm on Friday, May 5th, and we invite you to join us to celebrate, to let us say thank you in person for the unyielding support we’ve been shown since opening, and to join along in the dancing and breathing in of that special air of imagination that Gulfport provides us all!
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Long before I’d fired my first kiln or showed in my first art show, I began my professional career in public radio. I was hired as a producer and on-air reporter at WAMC in Albany, NY. This public radio station was not far from where I earned a Master of Arts at The State University of New York (SUNY) Albany. What began as a professional exploration on my part turned into a decade of journalistic work. I worked in radio for two years and network television for eight years. My love of the written word propelled my journalism career forward from there, leading to positions at the NBC and ABC affiliates in New York's capital city.
Though I found great pleasure in the written word, the reactive world of newsroom journalism ran its course. I decided to explore other options, taking temporary jobs to find a path that would fulfill me. During one of these jobs, I enrolled in a pottery class to fill my increased spare time. After the first night, I had my Eureka! moment. This class ignited my passion for a life of clay and art, which I live and love to this day!
For 24 years, I sold work I was creating in New York, first regionally, then nationally and finally internationally. In 2007, my ceramic career landed me an exhibit in Thailand. I won a New York State Grant to pursue my ceramic work, helping make the exhibit happen. I knew I was on the right path and believed the destination would reveal itself in time. In 2008 I moved to Gulfport, showing work created in my seaside studio throughout the state and country.
By 2013, I’d taught my first of five international workshops in Italy and in 2019, my love of clay and contemporary craft called me to open a Gallery. I searched throughout St. Petersburg, into the Warehouse District and beyond, but to no avail. Then a set of magical circumstances aligned to bring me to what would become my current professional home. Two weeks after a national magazine erroneously reported that I had a gallery in Gulfport, I was walking down Beach Boulevard and saw a ‘for rent’ sign at 2901 Beach Boulevard. I knew I had found my professional home and immediately signed a lease. That was Valentine’s Day of 2019. Two full months of renovating and designing the inside with my collaborator, friend and business partner, Cathy Fahey, led to the Brenda McMahon Gallery grand opening in in May, 2019.
After a highly successful launch, It was a slow start through the summer months. Just as February 2020 rolled around, we’d gained significant momentum. On March 13th, 2020, just 10 months after opening the Gallery doors, the world changed. COVID ran rampant across the nation and in our community, life and business as I knew it, stopped. Though the Gallery did not shutter its doors until March 20th, we knew there was a lot of work to do to prepare for what would turn out to be a new business model.
Making the best of the situation, I took the time to create our Online Gallery. Here I showcased the work of our 12 Gallery artists. I offered free local delivery and secured ceramic commissions. The dramatic changes around us forced me to figured out how to create a strategy for the newly changed economy. I developed and began promoting 'Taste of Art' one night Workshops. During these events, we invited residents to get out of the house, social distance and make art. The initial success of this workshop series is felt today, as it still sells out, two years later, sans masks of course!
I’ve come a long way from newsrooms in New York to a gallery in the Tampa Bay region of St. Petersburg. I’m grateful for the help I’ve had along the way. It’s been a great gift to succeed through challenges and to have people around me who help me to do this. I’ll consider it a great gift as well, to greet so many of you who’ve kept up with my journey at our upcoming 4th Anniversary Celebration at the gallery on May 5th!
...there’s a creative energy field in Gulfport unlike any I’ve found, the kind that artists find without ever knowing they’re looking for it. I had found mine!
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Creatively speaking, I grew up for 24 years in the fine art & contemporary craft world. I love the mix of fine art and contemporary crafts, which offers something creative and new for nearly everyone. After finding Gulfport and continuing to grow on my own artistic path for 13 years, I had a vision in 2019 to create a miniature art show – one that would feel like the juried shows I’d been a part of as an artist and loved to attend as a visitor. Learning to grow and implement that vision, and then how to articulate it became and remains my journey!
Luckily, I had some help trying to implement my vision. Two full months of renovating and designing the inside of the Gallery with my collaborator, friend and business partner, Cathy Fahey, was one of the most rewarding experiences of the venture. Another friend and artist, Michael Eismont, was also on-hand nearly daily, both documenting the Gallery’s build-out as our resident videographer and lending a hand on construction tasks, while also offering great advice on the future layout.
My friend Dale Shirley, a master of merchandising who was to be my business neighbor at Custom House Decor and who has been in retail for years would come in to the Gallery we were building every day and suggest ideas for setting up for the general public. Though I knew art show setups, I was less familiar with retail flow and merchandising. This includes colors, accents, height of work and other design tips. Dale is the one who said, “You know you can put work all the way up your walls!” Wow! What a breakthrough. I simply never thought about it - that almost doubled my retail space overnight!
In May of 2019, my vision took form as I opened Brenda McMahon Gallery, a fine art & contemporary craft gallery that houses the work of 20 of the region’s most dynamic creators. When a visitor compared walking into the Gallery to visiting a juried art show, I knew I’d hit the mark. I also knew that the Gallery afforded me an opportunity to do even more than just house these masterful works of art. It's long been a passion of mine to offer opportunities to artists who have not had a voice in the arts community. In January of 2021, I began an Artist of the Month program. This is an opportunity for the voices of emerging, re-emerging and lesser-known artists who are building their portfolio to show in a professional setting with the power of a formal Gallery to present their work. This teaches professionalism to both artist and client and introduces a regular rotation of new work to the audience. The Gallery also began offering weekly Taste of Art workshops, opening the possibilities of creating art to all comers.
As I write this, we are gearing up for our 4th year anniversary celebration at the Gallery and, if you’re reading this, you’re invited! It takes place on Friday, May 5th from 6-9pm and I can’t wait to welcome back artists and visitors who’ve played such an integral role in making my vision a reality. We’ll also have a wonderful musical act on-hand with songs ripe for celebration.
Stay tuned to this page and to our social media for updates as we approach the date!
]]>Here, Brenda worked with a couple in Bellaire, Florida on a 6' x 6' mural for their Great Room. Brenda begins with a conversation, then a proposal. Once the nuts and bolts are established, she creates a drawing and when approved, begins her work in clay.
This project took 7 months to complete, but here, you can see the entire process, in under a minute!
Enjoy!
See more of Brenda's completed commissions here.
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Brenda McMahon Gallery represents contemporary craft and fine art in Gulfport, Florida, located on the south side of St. Petersburg. Gulfport is one of the oldest historic arts district in the Tampa Bay region. This artist enclave community is just 3 miles west of St. Petersburg Warehouse Arts District along Boca Ciega Bay. Gulfport is a small city filled with artists and art appreciators but it feels like you've stepped back in time to 'old Florida'. Despite appearances, we are diverse, celebratory and inclusive. Come visit us!
Brenda McMahon is the resident ceramic artist and Gallery owner, creating one of a kind tile wall murals, artful addresses and Japanese-inspired meditative vessels. Brenda has shown her work nationally and internationally. In 2019 she opened her namesake Gallery to stay closer to home to develop relationships with clients near and far. This award winning craft gallery in Gulfport is the little gallery that could! In 2021 and 2022 Brenda McMahon Gallery was awarded 'Best Independent Art Gallery' by St. Pete Life Magazine.
Our Gallery hosts 18 local, regional and national artists, all of whom are masters in their craft. Our resident artists have been working professionally for upwards of 10 years. We host an 'artist of the month' exhibit, so we continually present new artists to our community. Come visit, we think you'll be inspired!
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