About Kelly
Kelly’s landscape artworks offer a deep connection to the natural world, drawing inspiration from the environments that surround her. Her pieces capture the essence of the forest—vast, ever-changing, and full of sensory experiences. Kelly’s goal is to immerse the viewer in the scene, inviting them to witness nature’s constant evolution in a single, fleeting moment where light, water, and time align perfectly.
Rather than focusing on a realistic depiction, Kelly’s work amplifies the interplay of light, weather, and textures found in nature. She seeks to enhance these elements, offering a fresh perspective on the landscapes she portrays.
Working primarily in oil paints, Kelly occasionally incorporates pastel and watercolour, favoring the way these mediums blend and allow for depth and nuance. This technique supports her process of layering, enabling her to revisit each piece multiple times as it evolves. While she occasionally works in an alla prima style, Kelly often develops her paintings in stages, letting each layer dry before continuing. The layering process mirrors the ongoing narrative of nature, with each piece reflecting the perpetual change that defines the natural world. Her subdued color palette evokes the shifting tones of the landscape, with an intention to mirror the unpredictable nature of the weather. This approach resonates with one of her favorite Picasso quotes: "I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else."
In addition to her art, Kelly runs a maintenance business with her husband and is actively involved in restoring their 130-year-old home and gardens with their three sons. Whether between the Mornington Peninsula and Sherbrooke Forest, traveling further afield, or in the midst of family life, Kelly constantly finds inspiration in the transitory beauty of the world around her.
Exhibitions
2023 Group Show - Bluethumb Awards, Bluethumb, Richmond
2023 Solo Show - Inclement, UP Gallery, Sassafras
2023 Solo Show - Juliet's Sky, Little Oberon Gallery, Fish Creek
2023 Affordable Art Fair, The Toowoomba Gallery, Carlton
2023 Inaugural Group Opening, Red Fox Pottery Studio Gallery, Berwick
2023 40 x 40, UP Gallery, Sassafras
2023 Land Sea Sky, Art Lovers Australia, Collingwood
2023 Camberwell Art Show, Hawthorn
2023 Hidden In the Hills, UP Gallery, Sassafras
2023 Harden Art Prize, Bendigo Bank, Harden
2023 Fiercely Feminine, Art Lovers Australia, Collingwood
2023 Art Red Hill, Red Hill Consolidated School, Red Hill
2023 Biblio Art Prize, Blarney Books and Art, Port Fairy
2023 Small Works Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy
2022 Summer Series, 26 Advantage Gallery, Highett
2022 Elementary , Earthly Pleasures, Belgrave
2021 Off the Cuff, A MAVA Collective Group Exhibition, The Hut Gallery, Ferntree Gully
2021 Monochrome, MAVA online
2021 Fifty Squared Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy
2021 Wabi Sabi - the Beauty of Imperfection, Burrinja Gallery - DROS Group Exhibition, Upwey
Prizes
Bluethumb Art Prize 2023 - Finalist
Salon Des Refuses, Lethbridge Small Scale Award 2023 - Finalist
The Harden Art Prize 2023 - Finalist
Art Red Hill 2023 - Category Winner 'Highly Commended Painting/Work on Paper'
Blarney's Biblio-Art Awards 2022 - Category Winner 'Starving Artist'
Unearthed at Art to Art 2022 - Finalist