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.

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. 

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. 

Portrait of a Ziegfeld Girl - sold

Oil on canvas 14"x11"

This is a portrait of Mary Nolan, a stage and film actress, singer and dancer who began her career as a popular Ziegfeld Girl in the 1920's. A luminous beauty who had a tumultuous life, I was inspired by her expressive face to create this painting in my version of the dramatic Hollywood illustrations and portrait style of the era. Based loosely on a black and white photo, I created a painterly background of deep peacock blue to offset her golden tones. She is soft and delicate but I am also pleased to have kept the brushwork loose and spontaneous throughout this painting. There is a haunting, soulful quality to this lovely lady that transcends time.

Copyright © Pat Kelley. All rights reserved. 

Cesar in Pensive Mood - sold

Oil on canvas, 12"x9"

This portrait of a handsome man conveys what fascinates me...the physical sense of a person and also the expression of an inner life. There's a feeling of energy in the contours of his muscular upper body and a palpable warmth in the glow of his skin. I like the turn of his head in opposition to his body as he stands in a honey colored light casting a cool blue shadow on the wall behind him. 

I focused on loose brushwork, keeping the edges soft and I used impasto in the highlights. I'm happy that my strokes here convey the energy of painting. 

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Woman in a Garden - sold

Oil on canvas, 16"x12"

This painting features a woman in long white gown in a rose garden. Inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites, I love evocative figures within beautiful landscapes that celebrate the feminine and suggest a story. This is an impressionistic, richly textured painting with thick impasto strokes in the flowing gown and the flowers. Romantic and mysterious, she's in a world of her own.

I've always loved gardens and flower gardening, especially old-fashioned roses with their soft, abundant petals. I think their nostalgic appearance amplifies the timeless feeling I seek and I enjoyed combining my interests in this painting.

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Study of a Young Man - sold

Oil on canvas 12"x9"

This portrait of a young man is perhaps the most alive and tactile of the male portrait studies I've done thus far. I'm pleased to have captured something rather elusive...a thoughtful and complex quality in this beautiful face. This one is a little larger than my usual head studies and there's a strong feeling of immediacy and an electric presence.

I focused on loose brushwork, keeping the edges soft and I used impasto in the highlights and background. I'm especially happy with the expressive look of his eyes and mouth and the painterly texture in his hair. 

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Woman Walking on a Beach

Oil on canvas 16"x12"

In this painting a beautiful woman walks on a beach at sunset in a long white dress, her hair and dress floating in the seashore breeze. I wanted to capture the warm, soft colors of the "golden hour" with the pink tones of the sky, sand and sea permeating throughout the painting. I enjoy evoking dreamy scenes that I would like to step into such as this one. I have always been inspired by the seaside imagery of Joaquin Sorolla and Frank Benson. Both frequently featured women in white dresses in coastal light. 

I had fun using a combination of vigorous impasto strokes to convey the movement of wind in fabric and very soft edges throughout indicating the saturated, glowing light of sunset. This made for a richly textured and painting of a beautiful figure within an atmospheric landscape. 

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