A Challenge

"San Francisco Street"

8x6  Oil on board

$125

This was a "challenge" painting by a wonderful artist, Terry Miura.  I love painting cityscapes but do struggle with sometimes trying to simplify all that happens on a busy city street.  This challenge I also roped my friend, Julie Hill, into doing with me at 4 o'clock yesterday. Lucky her, she lives on the west coast & had a few more of hours of light.  Happy painting!

"A" at Play, New Series

"At Rest"

8x8  Oil on museum quality panel

Well, I'm back painting from my crime partner Julie Hill's photos.  This started with Julie going out to paint "en plein aire" and it ended with her having a new summertime job...taking photos of her daughter to supply my next summer series.   To make things a little more interesting, fellow blogger & wonderful artist, Dana Cooper, threw me an Amanda Paint Off Challenge.  So Julie is feeling the pressure to supply her "best" friend  photos, Amanda's making her list of what would she would accept in payment for her modeling, Dana is working on getting her own set of shots and I'm happily painting away. Stay tuned...it could get very interesting.  Have a Happy 4th!!!!!!!!!

As One Door Closes, Another One Opens

"A New Day"

6x6   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

Transition comes sometimes whether you want it or are ready for it.  About 5 years ago, I started the journey as the primary care giver for my parents, not what I expected to happen but as the saying goes...it is what it is.  In some ways it was an amazing time and the hardest thing I've had to do.  This journey is about to move into a new phase, the time to turn the care giving over to others more qualified.  The next few months will be the transition and my posts may continue to be a bit sporadic but I hope you will continue to follow what's on my easel.  Art has been my escape and I look forward to settling down in the very near future in front of the easel on a daily basis.  Thanks for the support of my students, family & friends.  

Boogie On!

"Boogie On!"

6x6   Oil on museum quality panel

NFS

A few months ago I finished a piece of  my nephew & brother kayaking and loved the movement in the painting.   My niece wanted to know when I was going to paint her.  I didn't want to hurt her feelings but I had to wait until I had the "right" image.  I found it this weekend and got busy.  She is full of energy and a barrel of fun.  K's, I hope you like your painting and BOOGIE ON!!!!!  Hugs from Aunt Kel.

Small Study, Big Idea

"Interlude"

6x8   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

In my classes this week, we're working on a landscape & this is demo from today's class. I'm  trying to work on some larger pieces for my favorite gallery at the coast.  These smaller pieces are letting me work out what I want to explore in larger formats.  I really like the high horizon in this one and playing up the color in the marsh grass.  Now the only question is...how big do I want to go? 

Unexpected Painting Time

"Abundance of Radishes"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

Fitting in 3 whole hours of painting time doesn't exist in my world most days.  But today, my Wednesday students had their lives going in different directions (Hawaii, Kentucky, etc.) and that left me with no students and a quiet studio.  So I managed to complete a previously started 12x12, paint the radishes & almost complete a second 6x6.  I packed in as much as I could today and left the studio feeling great.  Now I'm off to do my favorite chore...grocery shopping.  I can just feel that euphoric feeling evaporating quickly. 

My Kind of Valentine

"Symphony"

6x6    museum quality panel

$95

My kind of Valentine's gift is not a  box of chocolates, bouquet of flowers or dinner out.   Give me a day at the studio, uninterrupted painting time and a finished painting, that's my idea of heaven.  Low maintenance kind of gal unless you mess with my painting time.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Get in, Get out SOLD!!!!!!

"Impressions"

6x6   Museum quality panel

$95

SOLD

One of my goals as an artist is to maintain the freshness in a painting.  For me it's a bit harder the larger I go but in my small studies, I think I can achieve this.  Mainly one pass of paint, lay the brushstroke down and move on.  As in "get in, get out".  While one area needed tweaking, I'm mostly satisfied.  I'm starting some larger paintings over the next few weeks, let's see if I can maintain the freshness.  Sorry the photo isn't very good, I'll try to repost.

Give me a knife

"Apple, Deconstructed"

2 6x6 museum quality panels

$95 each

When I started my painting for the Daily Paintworks Challenge, little did I know that the painting would be the least of my issues.  This week was a Ten Minute Challenge.  Choosing one subject & setting the timer for 10 minutes for each 3" piece.  While I stuck within the one subject challenge, I decided to tweak it a bit by "deconstructing" my apple as I went.  Some of the paintings look a slight "askew" because I had the most dull knife at the studio.  Deconstructing took on the look of destroying about half way through.  By the last painting, I had hacked the apple to the point that I had to tape the bottom of the core (see photo below for my lovely knife work) & then use the roll of tape to keep it upright.  I really enjoyed this challenge and it's now going to be an exercise for my students.  Hope you will check out the other challenge paintings at Daily Paintworks Challenge . 

                       

No Cars in Sight

"Sunlit"

8x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

Don't remember ever painting cars before but I've painted two back to back this week.  Taxed my brain too much so now it's time to escape to the sanity of a landscape.

Challenge

"Cruising St. Augustine"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

Thanks to Daily PaintWorks a new painting challenge has started.  The first challenge was this black car and all it's glorious reflections.  Not a subject I would tackle most days, however, throw in the buildings from Flagler College in St. Augustine and I'm in.  I lived two blocks from Flager College and loved it.  So I've accepted the challenge...now the question is did I suceed?

Not a Weed in Sight

"California Dreamin'"

8x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

(Having PayPal button issues,

email me at kelleyart@gmail.com if interested)

Looking back a week ago, I was struggling to get out of the weeds and start painting again.  One week later & paintings are flying off the easel.  Yipee!  Last night my friend, Julie Hill, was so kind to share a wonderful photo of her morning commute to drop her daughter off at school.  Little did she know that I was going to snag her picture and paint it.   Inspiration shows up just when you need it.  Thanks Julie and I hope she will paint her vision of this picture.  Julie, are you listening? 

Weeds Be Gone

"Les Carottes"

6x12 Oil on Linen

Reserved

Ten minutes at Fresh Market, One bunch of carrots, Two hours at the easel.  If you've followed my blog, you are well aware of my passion for the produce section.  I ran into the store in hopes of finding inspiration and came out with the most beautiful carrots.  Too pretty to be called "carrots" so I decided that the french name "carotte" was more appropriate.  This painting is headed into a museum still life competition.  Eating carrots with fingers crossed.  I've included a photo of the carrots just to show how fresh & flawless my subject matter was. 

Getting out of the Weeds

"Table 4, More Wine"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

$95

Two glorious hours in the studio this morning.  That might not sound like much but in comparsion to no studio time, I'll take it.  Maybe the lack of easel time has me dying to spread my wings.  Waiting to see what flies off the brush in the next few weeks.  Happy weekend.

In the Weeds, Knee Deep

"Light on the Marsh"

28x22 Oil on Linen

Private Collection

Try as I might, life keeps jumping in on my way to the easel.  So until I actually manage to get brush to canvas, here's one of my larger pieces.  Hope to post a "wet" painting soon.

Kelley Light/Kelley Dark? SOLD!

"In the Mood"

6x6  Oil on museum quality panel

SOLD!

Before you question whether you've come to the right blog, yep, it's mine.  This was a demo for a student who wanted to paint a dark/moody/mysterious (in her words) painting.  It's always a fine line to know what to include in a painting and what to leave out.  I did this demo to illustrate how eliminating much of the detail can enhance the feeling of the painting.  When we compared her painting to mine..her comment was that I had done a Kelley "Light" version versus her darker version.   Great exercise to paint out of one's comfort zone.  Would love to hear what you think.

Relatively Speaking

Low Country Marsh

20x24  SOLD

This is one of my all time favorite marsh paintings.  It's one of those that when it sells you are happy & also wishing you had kept in your collection.    Oh well, as they say, you can always paint another one.  Didn't have time to paint, niece & nephew (and their parents) on their way.  Looking forward to seeing them after all the chores are done.  Anyone free to fold a pile of laundry?  Free chocolate cake in exchange!

Snowbound, Stir Crazy

"Sunshine"

6x12  Oil in museum quality panel

$175

The consequences of snow & ice are that I'm forced to do some of the things that I don't like to do.  Such as straighten up my home studio, however, I did discover a painting I did a few months back & never got posted.  Given the gray skies, snow & ice & the fact I'm going a bit stir crazy, happy to post something cheerful.  Hope there is sunshine in our near future. 

Praying for NO Snow

"July in Provence"

6x6   Oil on museum quality panel

$95

For the past 2 days I've listened to the weather forecasters predicting snow/ice.  I will readily admit that living in the south makes me a bit spoiled when it comes to nice weather.  We usually get a bit of snow in February but we have already had some.  It was pretty but not enough to make me want to see it again. The wonderful thing about being an artist is that I create another vision.  So I hope you will enjoy my July sojourn to Provence.

New Beginnings

"Solitude"

24x12   Oil

$1150

Didn't mean to be away for so long but an exhausting 2010 caught up with me during the holidays.  Looking forward to a less chaotic but challenging (artistically speaking) 2011.  Working on goals for this year, I find myself reevaluating what I want & need to accomplish.  So while I get busy working filling in my brand new calender (one of my favorite things to buy), enjoy the "Solitude".  Many blessings.