Pat Kelley Paintings

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.