Dr. Dary Penionzhkevich Dega

Ph.D., MAA, MD

Highly experienced manager. Art gallery and art studio DEGALLRY business owner, director, and curator. Award-winning artist. Founder and executive director
of not-for-profit art organization DEGA International Art Association.

About

Dr. Dary Dega is a medical scientist, educator, and multidisciplinary artist who founded DEGALLERY in 2016 after immigrating from Moscow to Central Texas. Raised in Russia—a country with a rich and deeply rooted tradition in the arts—Dary grew up attending museums, concert halls, ballets, and classical concerts. Her love for the arts was nurtured from childhood, further enriched by extensive travel across Europe with her family, especially her father, a renowned scientist. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong passion that led her to graduate from both art and music schools while simultaneously pursuing an academic career in medicine and neuroscience.

When she relocated to Bryan, Texas, with her husband, a physics professor at Texas A&M University, Dary found herself at a crossroads. Despite a successful career in medical research and leadership, language barriers and limited opportunities in her field left her searching for a new beginning. During that time, art became her refuge. Recognizing the lack of inclusive, professional-level art spaces in the community, she decided to turn her personal passion into a mission-driven business.

 
 

With little business experience, a newborn in her arms, and a heavy accent, she opened DEGALLERY—a bold dream built on love for art, people, and education. What began as a small studio quickly became one of the region’s most vibrant cultural spaces. DEGALLERY offers curated exhibitions, international art competitions, and hands-on workshops for all ages and skill levels. Every class and program reflects Dary’s philosophy: that art is for everyone, and creativity can heal, empower, and connect.

Drawing from her own studies with top art teachers in leading European institutions, Dary developed a distinctive “step-by-step” class structure that welcomes both beginners and advanced artists. Under her leadership, DEGALLERY has grown into an internationally recognized art center, with programs reaching participants in over 65 countries.

Dr. Dega leads with compassion, curiosity, and vision. She offers free public events, mentors emerging artists, and gives generously to her community. Her unique blend of scientific insight and artistic sensitivity continues to shape DEGALLERY into more than just a gallery—it’s a global creative family rooted in joy, learning, and purpose.

 

Since founding DEGALLERY, Dr. Dary Dega has experienced profound personal and professional growth. Transitioning from a structured scientific and medical background into the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship and the arts challenged her in ways she never expected. She had to learn not only how to build a business from the ground up, but also how to lead through uncertainty, adapt to a new culture, and trust her intuition in unfamiliar territory.

Over the years, she has grown into a more resilient, compassionate, and visionary leader. She’s developed new skills in business management, marketing, and community outreach—all while staying true to her core values of education, creativity, and inclusivity. She has learned how to balance artistic freedom with strategic thinking and how to listen deeply to the needs of her community while reaching global audiences.

Most importantly, Dr. Dega has grown in her belief that challenges can be catalysts for transformation. What once felt impossible—opening a gallery in a foreign country with no business background—has become a platform for inspiring others. Her journey has deepened her purpose and strengthened her commitment to making art a meaningful, healing force in the world.

 
 

Artist Statement: “As an artist with the soul and heart of a medical scientist, I have always loved to create something very complex that could convey the beauty of an artistic object and reveal its inner world and character. I enjoy working on complex, realistic, large-scale portraits with lots of detail and experimenting with a vibrant palette of oil paint for large abstract canvases. My landscapes using the technique of open impressionism and still lifes using the technique of classical photorealism are entirely different, but they are united by one theme: warmth and lightness of character. When inventing my ceramic artwork with clay, I also try to make something unique and complex in shape and glazing. But even in them, you can read my feelings and see the palette of my colors. When creating my art, as an artist and scientist, I like to share some secrets about the person or place I painted in each artwork as a fairy tale or story. I am trying to capture the character and create an art story so everyone can see the artwork using their imagination and discover the secrets hidden in my artwork.”

Awards:

2021 First Place winner in Oil Painting Category, International Winter Art Show and Competition, “Winter Road”, 20”x16”, oil on linen, Texas USA

2022 First Place winner in Oil/Acrylic Painting Category. ”My First Texas Gifts”, 20”x16”, oil on linen. Spring Art Show of Visual Artists Society of BCS Texas, Texas USA

2022 First Place winner in Ceramic Category, “Cold Stone”, ceramic set. Winter International Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 Best of the Show. “Lotuses Valley”, 30”x40”, Oil/Acrylic on canvas. A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniv Celebration Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 First Place in Oil/Acrylic paint category. Division of Professional Artists. “Lotuses Valley”, 30”x40”, Oil/Acrylic on canvas. A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniv Celebration Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 Division of Professional Artists Winer. “Lotuses Valley”, 30”x40”, Oil/Acrylic on canvas. A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniv Celebration Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 First Place in Mixed Media Category. “The Beginning”, 40”x60”, Oil/Glass/Resin on Canvas. A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniv Celebration Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 First Place in Studio Craft Category “Spiral Galaxy”, Ceramic Set. A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniv Celebration Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 Second Place in Studio Craft Category “Water Lilies”, Ceramic Set. A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniv Celebration Art Show and Competition, Texas USA

2023 3 place “The Story of Crayons” in Graduate National Juried Exhibition The University of Mississippi Museum, Oxford, Mississippi USA

2023 1 Place “Love and Care”, Soft pastel, 24”x36”. “Mental Health Art Contest”, Texas, USA

2024 1 Place in Mixed Media Category “The Bloom”, oil, acrylic on canvas, 48”x60”, “Art and Bloom Spring art show and competition”, VAS BCS, Bryan, Texas

2024 1 Place in Division of Professional Artists, Mixed Media Category “The Bloom”, oil, acrylic on canvas, 48”x60”, “Art and Bloom Spring art show and competition”, VAS BCS, Bryan, Texas

2024 Best With using texture “The Bloom”, oil, acrylic on canvas, 48”x60”, “Art and Bloom Spring art show and competition”, VAS BCS, Bryan, Texas

2024 1 Place in Sculpture Category “The Cactus Blooming”, ceramic set, “Art and Bloom Spring art show and competition”, VAS BCS, Bryan, Texas

2024 3 Place in Fine Craft Category “The Rose”, ceramic set, “Art and Bloom Spring art show and competition”, VAS BCS, Bryan, Texas

Solo & Duet Show

2023 “The Story of Women’s Self Portrait Through the Centuries and Styles,” July 2023, Northwestern State University Louisiana Gallery, Louisiana USA

2023 “The Story of Women’s Self Portrait Through the Centuries and Styles,” December 2023, Bryan, Texas USA

2024 “Color on Canvas and Clay I”, January-April, Cultural Activities Center, Temple, TX USA

2024 “Color on Canvas and Clay II”, February 2024, Degallery, Bryan, Texas USA

2025 “Black & White”, November – December 2025, Cultural Activities Center, Temple, TX USA

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2021 “Winter International Art Show and Competition 2021”, November 2021, Texas USA

2022 “Spring Art Show” of Visual Artists Society of BCS Texas, April-May 2022, Texas USA

2022 “Hullabaloo” by VAS Annuals Members Only Art Show, September 2022, Texas USA

2022 “Winter International Art Show and Competition”, December 2022, Texas USA

2023 “Fresh Paint” by Bryan Contemporary Artists, January 2023, Texas USA

2023 “Art We Love” by VAS of BCS Texas and Brazos Valley Art Council, January – February 2023, Texas USA

2023 “A Golden Gala: the Visual Art Society’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Art Show and Competition, March-April 2023, Texas USA

2023 “National GS Juried Exhibition,” September 2023, The University of Mississippi Museum, Oxford, Mississippi USA

2023 “Aqua Vita” by members of VAS BCS, August-September 2023, Bryan, Texas USA

2024 “Resolution – New Beginnings”. January – February. Arts Council of Brazos Valley, College Station, TX USA

2024 “Fresh Paint”. Group show by Bryan Contemporary Artists. Bryan, TX USA

2024 “Round Rock ARTS”, Group Show by Professional Artists of Central Texas, February-April, Texas State University, Round Rock, Texas USA

2024 “International Spring Art Show”, February-July, Degallery, Bryan, TX USA

2024 “25th San Angelo North American Ceramic Competition”, April 19-June 23, 2024, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, Texas USA

2024 “ Art in Bloom – A Feast for the Senses”, April 26 – July 31, Bryan, Texas USA

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