Mood Indigo - sold

Oil on canvas, 10"x8"

This is a portrait of a moody flapper, one of those that took on a life of her own as I painted her. There's a feeling of mystery about this girl and she called for an inky blue background from which her pallor faintly emerges. She's a girl of dimly lit speakeasies, cool and self contained. I emphasized this muted tonality with soft, impressionistic brushwork and I'm pleased with the subtle hues I achieved. Her eyes are shadowy but you can detect a glint of emerald in their depths. I named this one "Mood Indigo" after one of my favorite Duke Ellington tunes.

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.