Nude with Roses in her Hair - sold

Oil on canvas, 10"x8"

This painting depicts beautiful dark haired seated nude woman viewed from the side. The background is a deep plum tone which contrasts nicely with the warm tones of her skin and the yellow roses in her upswept hair. I especially like this figure's graceful hands and exquisite profile. This is a sensual and elegant small nude with lovely details and rich color combinations. It was created as a study for a larger commissioned piece. 

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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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Man by a Window - sold

Oil on canvas, 16"x12"

There's something poetic about this man, a certain Byronesque air. Perhaps it's the haunting intensity of his eyes or the wavy, flowing hair. I like the moodiness of the interior in this painting, there's a hint of the ecclesiastic in the high, dark paneling. He looks as if he has just stepped from the shadowy recesses into the light of the window. I'm happy to have combined a high level of technique with spontaneous expression. The lively, open brushwork effectively conveys the movement of light over the contours of his muscular body while evoking pliant flesh. This is one of my larger male nudes and the scale allowed a strong feeling of the model in his environment and a vivid sense of life.

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Searching - sold

Graphite on paper, 14"x11"

This is a portrait study of a beautiful young man with a distant gaze. This is a larger drawing for a more evocative character study, executed in a combination of graphite powder and pencils for a moody feeling. I used a heavyweight Bristol board that could stand up to a lot of blending.

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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. 

Man at a Window - sold

Graphite on paper, 12"x9"

This drawing was done as a preparatory study for a painting. The model is standing next to a window with natural light defining his muscular physique. I was inspired by this model's dark good looks and haunting, intense eyes.

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Man Sleeping on Sofa - sold

Oil on canvas, 9"x12"

This painting is a study of a handsome man enjoying a nap. I kept the brushwork loose and lively to play up the casualness of the figure. I like the way he has collapsed on the couch after getting partially undressed and is simply relaxing. I'm pleased with how the liquid flow of paint and the sharp highlights vividly portray the skin. Just as the Impressionists did, I enjoy capturing the natural and happy moments of real life.