Nude with Calla Lilies - sold

Oil on canvas, 14"x11"

This is a painting of a beautiful nude woman standing in a lace-draped interior cradling stems of calla lilies in her arms. She evokes a nostalgic, 1920s feel with her finger-waved red hair and delicate profile. She is sultry yet graceful, reminiscent of a Ziegfeld girl in her dressing room enjoying flowers from an admirer. I like the dreamy, romantic feeling of this scene and the unusual tints of green and lavender created in her skin by the moody light. I kept the edges very soft and the background is especially suggested and impressionistic. There is a timeless feeling to this painting and it has an unusual tonalist atmosphere.

Awaiting the Tryst - sold

Oil on canvas, 14"x11"

In this painting a pale woman gracefully lounges in an elegant gown of peacock blue upon a green and gilt sofa in a deep turquoise room. She glows within the luxurious jewel tones of her surroundings.  I've been interested lately in creating a story and evoking the atmosphere of times past. She is a dramatic, romantic figure, lost in reverie...perhaps an aristocratic lady awaiting her lover. I expressed this mood with soft edges and appropriately painterly and loose strokes.

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. 

Portrait of an Edwardian Lady - sold

Oil on canvas, 14"x11"

In this painting I wanted to evoke a fin-de-siècle mood. A willowy red haired lady in an elegant black dress creates a dramatic figure within a golden Parisian style interior. She reminds me of a character in a Henry James novel, or many of John Singer Sargent's portrait subjects...a beautiful young woman with a hint of mystery and turbulence beneath her composed exterior. While painted with loose, impressionistic brushstrokes, I enjoyed evoking details such as the rope of pearls and the charming cabriole leg salon chair in the background. 

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. 

Nude Reading in Antique Bed - sold

Oil on Canvas, 10"x8"

This is a figurative painting of a lovely redhead in a charming state of deshabille, draped in a silky purple robe which slips carelessly off one shoulder. She is seated on the edge of an antique bed reading a slim volume with great concentration. Her dark red hair is complemented by the muted mossy green of the background wall while the dark Victorian headboard outlines her profile. I like the combination of sweetness and sensuality in this scene as the rich purple of the robe sets off her pale skin and the very act of reading a genuine book speaks of an earlier time.

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Nude with Calla Lilies - sold

Oil on panel, 7"x5"

This is a classical study of a red haired seated nude holding calla lilies. The figure is viewed from behind with a side profile. There is a lovely twist to the figure, and the soft light catches her face and flowers, dropping down her body to a classical sculpture next to her. 

Painted alla prima on a colored ground, there is a golden glow beneath the cool blues of the background. This painting is serenely elegant, unusually expressive and detailed for a small figure.

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Portrait of a Redheaded Flapper - sold

Oil on canvas, 10"x8"

This is a portrait of a lovely redhead flapper girl. She manages the rare feat of being sweet and sultry at the same time. From her finger waved hair and Cupid's Bow lips to her pretty ruffled blouse, she looks elegantly vintage and ready for high tea. As I painted her she seemed so charming and fresh that I used a spring green background to complement her peachy tones.

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