Oil Painting by John Kelley

I’ve been working on this one over the course of the entire summer.  I’ve had a difficult time settling on a name so I thought I would give you an opportunity for input.  Any suggestions?

Oil on Linen 24″ x 30″

“What A Night” - 42″x28″ Oil on Panel

This painting is at the present time in the studio.  Once I get a frame ordered I will most likely be sending it out to one of my galleries.  Is it a figure painting with a still life or a still life painting with a figure?  In any case it seems me the party is over and the work has begun.

I love painting this sort of thing although I don’t really like drinking out of this type of cup or glass.

This is a coffee pot.  The most interesting I’ve ever run into and it ended up being the most difficult part of the painting.

Would anyone actually stack fine china this way?

I would just continue to sit there and sip on that cup of coffee until someone else came along to help clean up.

36″ x 24″ Oil Painting

I am including some detail shots of this one so that you can see the brush work a little bit better.  My model was my neighbors daughter Caroline who also happens to be in our pioneer club. She did a great job modeling.  The red in the dress was the major challenge in this one (more so in getting a good photograph of the finished painting.)

Children always seem to look older in a portrait. I’ve decided its because they are not moving.

This painting was really just an excuse to paint a bunch of still life objects.

The father of the model noted that there is no silver in my silver pot. He’s right of course.

I just wish you could all see this painting in person. Photographs never do a very good job.

“The Fountain” 12″x16″ OIl on Panel

This painting was a challenge. It was very busy for it’s relatively small size.

“Tera Rosa”,  48″ x 36″ Oil on Canvas

I received a phone call yesterday informing me that my painting Tera Rosa has won the Grand Prize at the 2010 Energen Art Competition. Needless to stay I am humbled and seriously juiced!

Those who know me well may appreciate this more than most.  I have eliminated about half of the things that were cluttering up my studio. Josh asked me if it was more difficult to concentrate in such a clean space . That is a pretty good question.  I did manage one painting in my newly cleaned work space. Does it look better or worse?

“Roses” 8″x20″ Oil on Board

You’ve got to love roses. They scream “paint me!” I actually think they are more appealing in a painting. In real life they just die and leave petals on my studio floor. Here are some more photos of the studio.

Below  is another photo of the paintings that I have entered into the Energen show.  They were accepted along with another small landscape.

“Tera Rosa” 36″x48″ Oil on Canvas

“Flower Girl” 24″ x 36″ Oil on Canvas

I’ve become the occasional blogger. But that is a good thing because it means I am spending the majority of my time painting. These two paintings will hopefully be in the Energen Art Show in Birmingham next month. I submitted them last Friday along with one of the Grayton Beach dune paintings. I will keep you informed on how that turns out.

This little guy has been destroying the insulation under my studio for the past few months. He became so used to my presence that he would not budge when I came down to paint in the mornings. About two weeks ago he just disappeared. I figured he had moved onto some other quarters and then Saturday morning I saw this guy in a tree about 20 feet off the back end of my studio.

I guess I won’t have to buy that live trap after all.

Tuscaloosa News Article

Daniel Garber, Tanis, June-July-August 1915. Oil on canvas, 60 x 46-1/4 inches. From the Warner Collection of the Westervelt Warner Company, displayed in the Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

On the 23rd and 24th of November I taught an introductory course in pastel painting at the newly formed Jack Warner Art Institute, a division of the Warner Westervelt Museum of Art here in Tuscaloosa Alabama. The course was a survey of the use of pastel and was a preview of the upcoming six-week classes that I will be teaching at the institute. Jack Warner has put together one of the largest collections of American art in the country and it was an incredible experience teaching in a room filled with paintings by Sargent, Whistler, Chase, Casssatt, Innes, Henri and others. Information on the upcoming classes taught by Caleb O’Conner, Danny Rountree, Maureen Shots and Ruth O’Conner can be found by contacting the Westervelt Warner Museum.

The highlight of the first introductory session was the purchase of my demo painting by Mr. Warner. I cannot think of a higher honor and I am humbled to be recognized by such a knowledgeable art collector and art historian. His contribution to American art is unmatchable and I hope that when you visit Tuscaloosa you will take the time to come and enjoy his incomparable collection of art. You can also see a VIRTUAL TOUR of the museum on the website.

Kentuck 2009 is over and it was a blast. We had cold, we had mud and we had customers. I don’t think you could have come up with a more interesting combination. Below you will find some photos of paintings I did for the show as well as some photo’s of some faithful observers of my work. Thanks again to the folks at Kentuck for turning a potential disaster into a wonderful weekend!

This painting was a battle to paint (my bifocals are making smaller still life paintings difficult these days), but was well worth the effort. After selling the painting a good friend who came back to get it on the second day was left disappointed. So it was a winner but I hate to see folks miss out on the painting that really speaks to them.

This was one of two large landscapes I brought to the show. You can now find this one at the Bennett Galleries in Nashville. The other painting went to a very nice couple from Hunstville and I realized after they left that I had never photographed the painting so you’ll just have to trust that it was the most amazing piece of art ever envisioned by mankind.

This is my friend Ab The Flag Man who’s booth has been next to mine for the last twelve years. Along with producing these amazing flags out of pieces of wood he is a great musician and played for the artist party on Saturday night.

Here is a small sampling of the people who helped me out this weekend. The little tiny one on the left is my daughter Sarah Grace (who is always a huge help and is very skilled at keeping wooden flags from hitting the ground). To her left is Dakota and then Nick. Thanks guys!

My other helper was Mary Katherine is seen hear with Sarah Grace. They both did a great job of explaining to people that the reason there father had suddenly done three abstract paintings was because it was the only way to explain what the inside of his head looked like as a result of raising 5 kids.

This was the strangest thing I found on my camera after the weekend was over. That crazed look is coming from a man who religiously drives the speed limit and this morning I am very grateful that he does (yes, that was an insiders comment).

This is a group of family and friends that all wandered by the booth at the same time. I would do names but that would leave me here at Panera the rest of the morning. Thanks for your support guys!

The Gleasons. Faithful patrons and members of my church. Thanks for coming by guys and don’t worry USC will blow it before its all said and done. JK.

One artist, one Norris and three Chiacs (I don’t think I spelled that right)

Thanks for coming by!

This cute couple is Adam and Elizabeth (my niece) they are going to be married this winter and then are moving to Cambridge England… must be rough. The beautiful girl on the right is my daughter Mary Katherine she was a HUGE help all weekend. Thanks Mar Mar!

One last look! The girls and some folk fish.