DUNCAN MCDANIEL OF ART UP NASHVILLE h l Scott Evans h g ph d by Michael l / Photographed Written by Britt Steele
Art is a beautiful, subjective journey. jour y It surrounds us all but,, as one’s soul is the sole interpreter, it speaks to each of us differently. Just as there is an infinite amount of mediums and vehicles from which art is cast and created, from canvas to clay, there is also an unquantifiable amount of ways in which an individual connects with art, whether simply triggering a huge smile to prompting deeper self-reflection. However, for one Nashville entrepreneur, Duncan McDaniel, art is every part of who he is to the core, personally and professionally. Not to mention, as a result of turning his passion into his profession, it is also what sparked the introduction to something even more precious, his now wife, whom he met while working on an installation for the exhibit of famed British fiberoptic artist Bruce Munro at Cheekwood. I recently at down with McDaniel, and the way in which his eyes genuinely lit up when discussing the above was both unavoidable and incredible. 92 slmag.net
In 2007,, McDaniel started d freelance installing art at the Frist Museum after moving to Nashville post graduation from SCAD, Savannah College of Art & Design at the age of 24. As word of his skill, talent and precision spread among the art community, along with the simultaneous growth in need for art handling and installation, McDaniel knew he was onto something and, in 2012, Art Up Nashville was formed. In 2018, an impressive assignment given to his company would have sent shivers full of angst down the spine of any person but McDaniel was ignited by the overwhelming task bestowed upon him by the Tennessee State Museum to move all of the objects out and into storage. Not tens, not hundreds but 20,000+ priceless and prized historical items, ranging from paintings, flags, sculptures, costumes, even the chandeliers were to be cataloged, organized, individually wrapped, packed and safely transported to storage. The project took three months and four full-time employees to complete.
