On The Easel

New Painting - Three Teapots

2012-01-20T09:08:00.001-08:00

"Three Teapots"
20 x 24
Oil On Panel
by John Kelley

I Want To Screw Up Christmas Dinner

2011-12-18T13:20:00.001-08:00

Read the article here on my One Ambition site.

New Painting - "Brevity"

2011-11-30T11:54:00.001-08:00

Here are some better photo's of my newest painting.

Brevity

2011-11-29T14:49:00.001-08:00

Well, the jokes on me. This is my painting inspired by the untimely death of my younger sister a year ago. In spite of it's title, it has taken about nine month's to paint..... and I'm not finished (interruptions). Still some glazing in the head of the girl. The photo is a quick snapshot. I will try to get a better one in the day's to come, along with some close up of different areas.

Life is brief, use it well.

The Beauty of a Second

2011-11-29T11:22:00.001-08:00

Seconds Of Beauty - 1st round compilation from The Beauty Of A Second on Vimeo.

Head Study - Anna

2011-11-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

"Anna" 11"x11" Oil on Panel
by John Kelley

This one still has some work that needs to be done but I am going to put it aside for a few days in order to get a fresh eye.

Love This!

2011-11-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

Some of what I've been listening to while at the easel. Her new album is due out sometime in early November

Cœur de Pirate- Wood & Wires Session from Adrian Vieni (Wood & Wires) on Vimeo.

New Painting - Red Ribbon - 16"x16" (SOLD)

2011-11-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

"Red Ribbon" 16" x 16"
Oil on Board
by John Kelley

I did not have my tripod with me today in order to get a proper shot of this but I wanted to let you see what I was working on. Thanks to Danny N for providing me with the sewing machine. This was really fun to paint!

Multitasking While I Multitask

2011-11-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Painting For November Stonehenge Show

2011-10-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some small experimental works that I am putting in my my November 2011 Show at the Stonehenge Gallery in Montgomery Alabama.

"Fruit Stampede" - 8"x8"
Oil on Canvas -$500 unframed

"Anna" - 8"x8"
OIl on Canvas - $500 unframed

"Apple Espresso" - 8"x8"
Oil on Canvas - $500 unframed

"Landscape Study" - 4"x6"
Oil on Canvas - $170 unframed

"Teapot and Onions" - 8"x*"
Oil on Canvas - $500 unframed

"Pair Bowl" - 8"x8"
Oil on Canvas - $500 unframed

The Warner Foundation

2011-09-14T07:08:00.001-07:00

I will be speaking at the Warner Foundations monthly event this Thursday on the topic: The Inherent Value of Contemporary Realism. If You live here in Tuscaloosa and are interested in attending you can contact me for more information.

http://www.warnerfoundation.org/

Recent Commission

2011-09-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

16" x 20" Oil on Panel

Value Study "Coffee"

2011-08-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

"Coffee" 11"x11" Oil on Panel

I wanted to play with some paint without the added concern of color so I did this little still life of one of my favorite subjects. I used only Ivory black and white with no medium.

I Still Paint

2011-07-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

8" x 16" Oil on Panel

"Brevity" is in progress

2011-07-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

My long planned painting in honor of my sister is now in progress. As I have moved to doing larger work there is not much "on the easel" at any one time. If you would like to check up on the small things I am doing you can do so at sketchbook7.

Roses

2011-05-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

3.5" x 3.5" Oil on Board

Tuscaloosa Tornado

2011-04-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that Tuscaloosa Alabama is my hometown. Needless to say art feels like the least useful thing on the planet right now. Please pray for the people in Tuscaloosa.

Roses in Pink

2011-04-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

8"x10" oil on Canvas

Uncanny Valley

2011-04-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago several of us were having a conversation about the phenomenon of how things that look almost human, but not quite, makes you feel strange. Here is the wikipedia explanation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley
Props to James Gurney for the post that reminded me of this: Gurney Journey

Practice

2011-04-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

Most of my paintings are practice. Many of these practice paintings never see the light of day and I get a real kick out of having a burn party when to many of them accumulate. These three paintings are “sketches” I did this spring which were thoroughly enjoyable to paint.

“Camellias” 8″x10″ Oil on Raymar Panel

I don’t have much to say about this one. I did it up at Jack Warners gardens. I would love to learn how to do these in a lighter pallette.

“Trumpet vine” 8″x10″ oil on Raymar Panel

This is a good example of a painting that will probably be judged unworthy of sale. I was on the cliff side of Jack Warners gardens and the wind was blowing at about 25 miles per hour. The things just wouldn’t stay still and it almost looks as if these are blowing in the wind.

“Self Portrait” 8″x10″ on Raymar Panel.

This is the first self portrait I have done. As you can tell I didn’t spend long on it, but it does show how green the light is in my studio this time of year. It also proves that I squint when I paint!
Sketchbook Blog

New On The Easel Location

2011-04-20T09:24:00.001-07:00

You can reach my recent post at http://ontheeasel.com

Employees Choice Award

2011-03-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

My Painting “What a Night” has won the 2011 Employee choice award at the annual Energen Art competition in Birmingham Alabama. It was also awarded an honorable mention by the Juror of the show. 225 Artists participated in the event. Last year I was honored to win The Grand Prize at this same event with my painting “Tera Rosa”.

Into The Light

2011-03-04T14:24:00.000-08:00

36″x24″ Oil on Linen

Contact John

View John’s Portfolio Site

Wildlife

2011-02-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

This little guy has been destroying the insulation under my studio for the past few months. He became so used to my presence that he would not budge when I came down to paint in the mornings. About two weeks ago he just disappeared. I figured he had moved onto some other quarters and then Saturday morning I saw this guy in a tree about 20 feet off the back end of my studio.

I guess I won’t have to buy that live trap after all.

Saving Don Julio

2010-12-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

11 x 14 Oil on Linen by John Kelley

Contact John

View John’s Portfolio Site

Childhood Friends

2010-10-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

“Childhood Friends” 42″ x 28″ , Oil on Board

After many interruptions the painting of my daughter Karis is finally finished. Not much to say other than it was a really fun subject matter and that it will be very hard to part with. Here are some close-ups.

Contact John

View John’s Portfolio Site

Her Sisters Wedding

2010-09-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Oil on Panel, 21″ x 28″

Contact John

View John’s Portfolio Site

What A Night

2010-08-17T08:19:00.001-07:00

“What A Night” - 42″x28″ Oil on Panel

This painting is at the present time in the studio. Once I get a frame ordered I will most likely be sending it out to one of my galleries. Is it a figure painting with a still life or a still life painting with a figure? In any case it seems me the party is over and the work has begun.

Spring Table

2010-08-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

I’ve been working on this one over the course of the entire summer. I’ve had a difficult time settling on a name so I thought I would give you an opportunity for input. Any suggestions?

Oil on Linen 24″ x 30″

A Little Polish

2010-04-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

36"x24" oil painting

I am including some detail shots of this one so that you can see the brush work a little bit better. My model was my neighbors daughter Caroline who also happens to be in our pioneer club. She did a great job modeling. The red in the dress was the major challenge in this one (more so in getting a good photograph of the finished painting.)

Grand Prize

2010-03-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

“Tera Rosa”, 48″ x 36″ Oil on Canvas

I received a phone call yesterday informing me that my painting Tera Rosa has won the Grand Prize at the 2010 Energen Art Competition. Needless to stay I am humbled and seriously juiced!

The Fountain

2010-03-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

12" x 16" Oil on Panel

Spring Cleaning

2010-02-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

Those who know me well may appreciate this more than most. I have eliminated about half of the things that were cluttering up my studio. Josh asked me if it was more difficult to concentrate in such a clean space . That is a pretty good question. I did manage one painting in my newly cleaned work space. Does it look better or worse?

“Roses” 8″x20″ Oil on Board

You’ve got to love roses. They scream “paint me!” I actually think they are more appealing in a painting. In real life they just die and leave petals on my studio floor. Here are some more photos of the studio.

Below is another photo of the paintings that I have entered into the Energen show. They were accepted along with another small landscape.

Flower Girl

2010-02-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

36" x 24" oil on panel