An Art Gallery Experience in St. Petersburg, Florida

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!

How does our Gallery standout?

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.

An art purchase in St. Petersburg from the Heart!

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.

An artist's vision and an collector's experience!

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!