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.  

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. Copyright does not transfer with the purchase of an original painting, print or other merchandise.

Flapper in a Pink Cloche Hat - sold

Oil on canvas, 10"x8"

There's something springlike about this flapper girl, She's winsome and fetching, long-necked with wide eyes peeking out from under the brim of a cloche hat. I'm pleased to have created a sense of form and very light-filled shadows on her face mostly with delicate shifts in color and tone. There's an Easter vibe...maybe it's the pretty matching pink of her hat and ruffled blouse combined with the pale blue of the background. The pink in her outfit might be displaying a bit more as a lilac shade than it really is. It's a sort of orchid pink, which teeters on the verge of lavender but isn't...and the background is a pale grayish blue.

I enjoy creating these girls from bygone eras, the style of the times adds such a feeling of character. They seem to arrive with their own lives and stories.

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Monet's Garden at Giverny - sold

Oil on canvas, 11"x14"

This is another view I painted of Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny. His estate and garden are beautifully maintained and walking through his gardens was like being inside an impressionist painting. The dahlias were in full bloom and even the clouds looked perfectly impressionistic and painterly. 

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 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?