Pat Kelley Paintings

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Deep Gaze - sold

oil on canvas, 16"x12"

In this painting a handsome dark haired man is viewed at a window, partially obscured by a sheer curtain. He is bathed in natural light, standing out from the shadowy interior. I love evoking a person in deep in thought, perhaps contemplating his life. There is a moody, subdued tone to this painting. The brushstrokes are liquid, distinct and loose.

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Vedat in my Studio

oil on canvas, 16"x12"

This painting is part of a series that began in the summer of 2019 when I met a handsome art lover who immediately offered to model for me. It was a joy to closely observe this wonderfully expressive subject by the large north facing windows of my studio. Little did I imagine just how much this spontaneous collaboration would come to mean to me only a short time later.

I am happy with the luminous, painterly quality achieved in this painting. I also love the peaceful, relaxed mood. One of the things I cherish about painting is how it helps me meditate on a beautiful moment, to expand and preserve it, perhaps even beyond this fleeting life.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Girl with an Emerald Earring - sold

oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This is a portrait of a beautiful young woman with short hair swept back wearing an Art Deco emerald and diamond earring. In this painting I wanted to evoke the mood and style of the decadent, glamorous era between the two World Wars.

Friday, March 5, 2021

Luminous - sold

oil on canvas, 10"x8"

This is a portrait of a handsome man in strong light. I wanted to evoke the glow of skin bathed in light in this spontaneous study. I kept the brushwork broken and sketchy in this one. It still ended up looking quite realistic but with much of the loose initial brush strokes remaining. I love the soft edges and glowing light I accomplished in this one.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Renée au Soleil - sold

oil on canvas, 10"x8"

This is a portrait of Renée Perle, inspired by a black and white photo taken by Jacques-Henri Lartigue circa 1930. She is outdoors in full sun, perhaps in a park or outdoor cafe. I wanted to convey a sense of dazzling mid-day light and how I imagine she must have looked in it. I gave her a bright red sweater setting off a fuzzy white beret and an adorable necklace that wasn't very clear in the photo but I decided it should feature Tahitian black pearls because she would probably have enjoyed those. I have painted Renée several times before and her chic, distinctive style continues to fascinate me.

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Kailani - sold

oil on canvas, 10"x8"

In this painting a beautiful dark haired girl is surrounded by and nearly merges with an abstracted background of vivid colors. The expressive, heavily textured impasto paint application was created by brushes and palette knife. The energetic background almost dominates but her gaze holds the focus. For some reason I couldn’t quite capture the blues in this painting, they are a deeper tone than they appear in the photos.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

A Distant Memory - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This portrait is a study of a handsome dark haired man painted in a restrained, subtle palette. I wanted to evoke a soft haze as though viewing the subject through the distance of time.

The background was created by layering transparent glazes which created an effect reminiscent of weathered and faded denim with a very glossy surface. It's an unusual, textured surface without being too dominant.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Lost in Thought - sold

Oil on canvas, 16"x12"

In this painting a handsome nude man stretches with his hands clasped behind his head. Light pours from a window to define his lean body which stands out from the shadowy interior. He gazes outside, his expression distant and enigmatic. The darkness of the background has a deep green tint. This is a classic figure study yet steeped in mood.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Girl with Finger Waves - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This is a portrait of a pale, blue eyed girl with finger waves in her golden hair. This portrait study ended up being oddly timeless, both retro and contemporary at the same time. The vivid, cherubic face and swan like neck have a Baroque, mannerist feel while her style is delicately minimal with a 1920's vibe. I like the bold strokes of the loosely painted lavender blue of the background.

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Mesmerize - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This is a portrait of a handsome man with dark hair and pale blue eyes in strong chiaroscuro lighting. I am pleased with the expressive looseness I achieved in the brushstrokes while capturing details like the dazzling light in the eye. It's a very electric, lifelike portrait that makes you wonder exactly what is on his mind.

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Man with Cobalt Blue - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This is a painting of a beautiful man with a distant, dreamy gaze. I gave him a background of deep cobalt blue to complement the warm golden skin tones and add to the dreamlike feeling. I am pleased with the expressive impasto brushstrokes while capturing beautiful features like his dazzling pale blue eyes. It's an energetic, textured painting.

Monday, June 17, 2019

Man in Darkness - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

In this painting a handsome man stands in darkness, his pale skin glowing. He looks a bit shadowy and sinister. But is he truly dark? Or is he the light within the darkness?

I wanted to focus on mood and atmosphere so I kept the colors and values within a limited range. I am pleased with the subtlety of the shadows which simultaneously accentuate and obscure his sharp features and lean body. There is texture and visible brushwork, especially in the background. I'm not sure if the images sufficiently convey the mood and depth of this painting is as darker paintings are difficult to photograph. This is a small but evocative painting with a powerful presence.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Can't Look Away - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This is a painting of a man leaning with his head back against a wall looking relaxed, perhaps a little exhausted. I am pleased with the expressive looseness of the brushstrokes while capturing beautiful features like his mesmerizing blue eyes. It's a very tactile, lifelike portrait.

Friday, December 7, 2018

Morning Mood - sold

Oil on Canvas, 16"x12"

In this painting a beautiful woman sips a cup of coffee after what looks like a rough night. I kept it very loose and had fun with the brushstrokes and a palette knife, creating lively textures and thick impasto. The background is abstracted and expressionistic with moody, turbulent shades of blue and gray contrasting with warm skin tones. I like the active surface quality and depth of this one.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Man by the Sea - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This portrait of a young man is perhaps the most classic I've done thus far. I was thinking a lot about Renaissance art while painting him. Although he is a contemporary man there is a timeless feeling to this painting. I placed my subject outdoors before a deep blue sea with a moody sky, a distant brightness at the horizon. I like how the blues of the water and sky set off his warm skin. I'm happy to have achieved a thoughtfulness and subtlety of form in this beautiful face.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Shadowy

Charcoal and white pastel on paper, 12"x9"

This drawing is a charcoal portrait study of a man in moody lighting. The deep shadows place a strong emphasis on the sculptural qualities of the face, especially the sensual mouth. I kept the drawing touch soft and suggestive even while it has very bold, dark tones. I like the dramatic and mysterious look of this one.

In between painting larger and more complex oil paintings I'm finding monochromatic drawings on paper to be a refreshing change. It's relaxing to be able to focus on value and form in a simpler way even while something of a challenge to be without the handy tools of warm/cool hues to create depth.

Friday, October 12, 2018

Woman with Red Wine - sold

Oil on canvas, 16"x12"

This is an original oil painting with a moody, vintage feel of a beautiful woman holding a glass of wine at a dimly lit bar. Shrouded in smoke and mystery, she recalls a long ago era. I wanted to evoke a film noir mood and create a world-weary yet seductive femme fatale...particularly beguiling after sunset.

This painting is part of a series of portraits of women of the 1920's and 1930's. From flappers to starlets, I am very inspired by this glamorous and classic era.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Nude with Lace and Flowers - sold

Oil on canvas, 16"x12"

This is a painting of a beautiful nude woman draped in a sheer lace shawl, holding a small floral bouquet in her hand. She is standing by a window gazing out with natural light pouring across her figure. With her long dark hair and slightly mysterious aura she evokes a timeless femininity and nostalgic elegance. There is a lush, romantic quality to this painting reminiscent of Auguste Renoir's nude figures. I used textured impasto strokes to define highlighted areas, particularly in the flowers, and there is great depth and richness throughout this painting.

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Thursday, October 4, 2018

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.

Friday, August 31, 2018

Woman with Blue and Gold - sold

Oil on canvas, 16"x12"

In this painting a dark haired woman in a satin gown of pale celery green sits on a gilt chair in a room of deep blue. There is a luxurious yet understated elegance in this portrait. I was inspired by James McNeil Whistler's Peacock room (one of my favorite things here in D.C.) and also his beautiful Nocturnes which are indicated by the tonalist painting behind the figure. She glows within the dark hues, her expression intense yet ambiguous. I enjoy suggesting a story and evoking a timeless atmosphere.