Daniel Zeese has stepped down from his position as executive director of Burlington's Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery after serving nearly four years in the role. The 37-year-old has relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to accompany his partner who accepted a new job opportunity there.
Gallery board president Kelly O'Neal expressed gratitude for Zeese's contributions in an email statement, saying she and fellow board members appreciate "Zeese's devotion to Frog Hollow and the work he did to establish a strong team, support Vermont artists through curatorial work, and further our mission of promoting Vermont craft."
Following Zeese's departure on October 17, Shannon Gillespie has been appointed as gallery manager and will share directorial responsibilities with inventory and operations manager Alex Green. This leadership arrangement was actually recommended by Zeese himself before his departure. "I told the board, 'Not only do I trust these people, but every one of our artists trusts Alex and Shannon and has a relationship with them,'" Zeese explained to Seven Days.
O'Neal did not specify whether this current management structure is intended to be permanent. However, she praised both staff members, stating, "Alex and Shannon have been integral to Frog Hollow's success for years. They have been instrumental in running the gallery, organizing exhibitions, and helping us strengthen our ties to the community."
Gillespie, 33, joined the gallery in 2022 initially to manage shipping operations and the gallery's website, which she completely rebuilt. An accomplished artist in her own right, she operates Prairi Lu Studio, where she specializes in digital design and stained glass artwork. Her educational background includes a degree in animal care and education from Unity College in Maine, and she previously worked in gallery shops in Colorado and Alaska before making Vermont her home.
Green, 32, has been with Frog Hollow since 2021 and brings local expertise as a Burlington native. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art and is an active ceramic artist and knitter. His background in both fine arts and operations has made him valuable to the gallery's daily functions.
The gallery operates under a unique structure where the nonprofit Frog Hollow Craft Association owns the for-profit gallery, which showcases and sells artwork from its 117 member artists. Zeese took on his role during a challenging period of management turmoil, following allegations by a former assistant manager who claimed racial discrimination by her supervisor. The organization hired legal counsel to investigate these claims and ultimately concluded that no intentional discrimination had occurred.
In response to the situation, Zeese implemented online awareness training for his staff and worked to create a positive workplace culture. Gillespie praised his leadership approach, describing it as "the best work environment she's ever experienced." She explained, "Daniel made this place feel so safe and structured it in a way that he valued us as people. He would make sure that we would take care of ourselves as humans first."
Gillespie also admired Zeese's creative energy and his hands-on approach to gallery management, particularly his talent for building displays and keeping the gallery's appearance fresh and engaging. "He'd come in some mornings saying, 'I'm feeling crazy!'" she recalled with fondness. "That means we're going to move everything in the gallery today."
Zeese reflected positively on his tenure, expressing satisfaction in supporting local artists and witnessing the evolution of their work over time. He takes particular pride in the innovative programs he and his staff developed, including a community outreach initiative that displayed Chittenden County children's artwork in the windows of Church Street Marketplace businesses. These efforts were part of Frog Hollow's broader mission to help maintain downtown Burlington's vibrancy and cultural presence.
One memorable example of Zeese's creative programming occurred during Maple Madness, a March celebration at Church Street Marketplace. For this event, Zeese arranged for Sean Hunter Williams, a stone carver from Barre, to come to Burlington and perform a live carving demonstration using a 55-pound block of butter, creating an unusual and engaging spectacle that drew community attention to both the event and the gallery's mission of promoting Vermont craftsmanship.
