Achieving Happiness Through Painting

posted by eric on 21st, 2010

Connie B. Kelley: Achieving Happiness Through Painting

Written by Blair Townley; Photos by Anthony Rao

The inspiration to paint can come at any time in a person’s life, something artist Connie B. Kelley can attest to experiencing 20 years ago. She began building her painting repertoire at 45 and has continued exploring her talent for the past two decades.

“I was an English major in college and have done lots of artistic things. One day I decided I wanted to paint and that is how I became an artist, taking classes at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston,” Connie recalls.

Her abstract mixed media art highlight Connie’s appreciation for natural color and form, discovered sometimes from her own photography.

“I like colors that are harmonious, that compliment and mix well with the other colors on the palate,” says Connie, who uses blue in several pieces but enjoys the uniqueness in all colors.

Her painting materials have ranged from acrylics and charcoal to oils and pastels on everything from rice paper to 400 Series watercolor paper.

She also likes to use Chinese paintbrushes, which combined with paint and an orderly studio are the important ingredients Connie believes finish a product of artwork.

What Connie appreciates most though while painting is the process of actually painting, approaching a blank canvas with no set idea of what to create.

“I enjoy the mental process more than the finished product and visually creating something my eye likes to look at,” Connie states.

Topics in her artwork can be humans to inanimate objects, models she sees that “are not painted beautiful by the everyday eye that I can make beautiful.”

One example of a human subject made more beautiful by her artwork is the Bird of Happiness painting which captures a close-up view of a dove. Connie recalls having never painted a bird before but says she wanted to create the piece to bring happiness when looked at each day.

Connie’s artwork has appeared in several private collections in the United States, such as Christie’s in New York, and has also been part of collaborations with local artists in shows at the Leesburg Center for the Arts.

Connie hopes to learn more about painting and expand her knowledge on mixed media as she continues to explore this beloved second career for the next 20 years.

Connie B. Kelley