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 Blonde Flapper - sold

Oil on canvas, 10"x8"

Although she's decidedly a girl of the 1920s, while painting this one she started to remind me a bit of Botticelli's Madonnas. The Cestello Annunciation in particular...maybe something about her golden hair and sweet but uncertain expression. So I went with a hint of Renaissance colors in the coral red of her outfit and the faded blue of the background. 

Nude in a Red Chair - sold

Oil on hardboard panel, 7"x5"

While painting this one I focused on the angles and the light falling across the figure. It's a serene seated pose but I like the energy produced by the various angles of the arms and legs. The unusual vintage chair and the paneled interior add to the timeless charm of this painting. 

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. 

Portrait of Alicia - sold

Oil on canvasboard, 7"x5"

It was a fun challenge painting a portrait study from this unusual angle while keeping things loose. One of the things I love about painting faces, capturing expressions and moods.

Viewing Mary Cassatt - sold

Oil on hardboard panel, 7"x5"

I was taken by the sight of this art lover at the National Gallery of Art in DC viewing Mary Cassatt's "Little Girl in a Blue Armchair". Her yellow jacket was a bright note with the blue of the painting. I also like how this woman, the little girl, and the dog look like they're just hanging out. 

I always think of Degas' "Mary Cassatt at the Louvre" when I visit art museums, so doing a painting of someone looking at a Cassatt works for me on many levels. I feel fortunate to live right across the river from Washington DC where there is an abundance of world class art museums, most of which are free. I can think of few things that have been of greater benefit to me as an artist than being able to pop into the National Gallery whenever I want to study the Impressionist's paint strokes or simply gaze in awe at the Vermeers. Yes, our metro system is old and currently sucks, and DC isn't exactly Paris...but it is packed with treasures. 

Portrait of a Red Haired Girl - sold

Oil on hardboard panel, 10"x8"

Playing with color again. The starting point for this painting was an old black and white photo so that left a lot of room for invention. I'm not sure where the red hair came from but she seemed to want to be a redhead and it was fun to paint. Perhaps with St. Patrick's day around the corner Irish types were on my mind.

Portrait of a Girl in Pink - sold

Oil on harboard panel, 7"x5"

Experimenting with mood, expression and color combinations. Trying to create a completely new painting frequently is quite a challenge but I love when I find it taking me in different directions.

Woman in a Blue Bikini - sold

Oil on hardboard panel, 7"x5"

This painting expresses the essence of a beautiful day at the beach...the brilliant light, sharp shadows and dazzling colors of sea and sand. I like how the golden hue of the sand and the cool blues of the water are echoed in the girl's hair and skin and bright turquoise bikini. 

Woman in Bathtub - sold

Oil on gessoboard panel, 7"x5"

I love painting the highlights on shiny wet skin. This is one reason why bathers and people at the beach are favorite themes of mine. I was pleased to find some colorful reflections in the highlights on this figure.

Joaquin Sorolla is one of my favorite painters and a master of painting wet skin. His beach paintings are simply wonderful and I aspire to one day have that level of accurate yet expressive freedom in my brushwork.

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. 

Woman Walking at the Beach - sold

Oil on Gessoboard 7"x5"

The Blizzard of 2016 made me want to flee back to summer. So I went back to the beach in oil paint which is the only way possible at the moment as I'm snowed in. I enjoyed the challenge of painting ocean waves and splashing water and shiny wet skin. This painting provides a nice break from snow and cold...what could be better than a walk at the beach?

Girl in a Cloche Hat - sold

Oil on Hardboard Panel, 10"x8"

There's a haunting blend of heartbreak and strength in this girl's expression that I love. In this painting I played with a combination of rough strokes in the background and soft, painterly brushwork in the outfit contrasting with sharper focus on her features.

Beach Study - sold

Oil on Hardboard Panel 7"x5"

It's finally starting to feel like winter here which makes me miss summer. As always when I miss something I paint it. I'm also experimenting with a hardboard panel again and I like how distinct a paint stroke appears. It's also a nice archival surface and the panels look cute set on small easels for display on a shelf.