Tucked away in a strip center next to the No. 6 fire station, a local painting venue and music school provides the community with high-end lessons in the arts.
Dary Dega, owner and president of Degallery, opened the business about two years ago out of a desire to promote the fine arts for all ages, while providing a home for artists to teach others.
Born and raised in Russia, Dega grew up traveling across much of Europe with her family because her father’s career as a scientist took him to many different countries. She said her interest in the arts began when she was only four years old.
As Dega grew older and began to think of her future, her parents told her that art was not an option and that she needed to find a different career path. Following her parent’s wishes, she received a medical degree in Moscow at the age of 23, and pursued a career in the Russian government’s health department.
When her husband, Grigory Rogachev, took a job as a physics professor at Texas A&M, the couple and their children moved to College Station.
Their daughter loves art and music, but one of the first things Dega noticed when searching for programs for her was the lack of traditional art education in the area.
Since she could not find the type of art or music school she was looking for, Dega’s husband encouraged her to open one herself. Over time, Dega converted an empty room into the space of creativity that it is now.
Karine Gil, Class of 2005, was Dega’s daughter’s piano teacher when the family first arrived in College Station, and she eventually became a teacher at Degallery.
“[Dega] had plans to start something beautiful with the art and I supported her brilliant idea and I said ‘Okay, that is perfect. We can work together, and I could do the music because I have many years of teaching music lessons,’” Gil said.
Violin instructor Natalie Burns was introduced to Degallery through a coworker and now teaches at the studio.
“I think the arts education is crucial and I can’t reiterate enough that I just wish there was more of it,” Burns said. “I know that there’s so many resources within our public schools and even in our private schools, but just to do it outside of school is just such a creative outlet for kids that I feel like if they learn it young, they’ll grow up with it and they’ll always have a talent to fall back on.”
For more information about Degallery, visit www.degallery.us.