Current Show: Kelly Welch
July 26-August 29
Opening Reception
An Opening Reception for artist Kelly Welch will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 26, at the Grace Centre Gallery. Welch’s paintings, which blend classical realism and impressionism, will be displayed in the gallery through August.
Bio
Kelly Welch is a classically trained, contemporary American Painter, blending the worlds of Classical Realism and Impressionism. Born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Kelly’s love of the land shows in her passionate and atmospheric depictions of rural life in the mountains. Working in both oil and pastel, her greatest challenge and pleasure is painting landscape and portraits from life. “Painting is for me something like joy, a desire for something fantastic and eternal, which I have not yet seen, yet my spirit testifies is true.”
Having studied engineering in college, the yearning to paint finally overcame and she decided to pursue fine art. She spent many years studying with artists from across the country, developing a quickly recognized style of loose, painterly landscapes. However it was after studying at the Art Atelier in Asheville, NC, that she returned to her love of drawing. “Drawing became my primary language once again, the foundation for all painting from the first stroke to the last.” Her goal is to honor life as it is, and to not lift up her own ideas above this glory of nature. To honor nature – let nature be the first and last thought in her work is her goal. In addition to enjoying small alla prima studies of nature on location, her work also includes paintings that can take days or even weeks to finish – as long as the subject or season will allow until nature is represented with as little trace of acculturation as possible. The plein air painter, Linda Cheek, says of her work, “For years, Kelly has participated in the tradition of plein air painting. With this experience, her ability to use color and light more effectively has gained her the confidence to capture in her paintings the true characteristics of the scene.” Some of her awards include; 2004, she was juried “Signature Member” of the Western North Carolina Plein Aire Painters, 2005 she won “Best of Show” at the Montford Arts Festival and most recently 2007 “Best of Show” in the Appalachian Pastel Society’s Annual juried show.
Contact
Kelly Welch, PO Box 1103 Fletcher, NC 28732 828-684-1459 welc4902@bellsouth.net
At her studio in Fletcher, NC and online at www.thewelchstudio.com
Wickwire Fine Art/Folk Art on Main St. in Hendersonville, NC www.wickwiregallery.com
The Linville Gallery in BannerElk, NC www.linvillegallery.com
Previous Grace Centre Exhibits:
Mitchell Lonas 6/08 - Slideshow
Angela C. Alexander and Emily H. Alexander 4/08 - Slideshow, Artist Statement
Page Davis, Ben Nixon & John Nixon 3/08 - Exhibit, Slideshow, Artist Statement,and Q & A
Mary Ruth Smith 1/08 - Exhibit, Samples, Artist Statement, Bio, Story
Jen Lepkowski 12/07 - Exhibit, Samples, Artist Statement, and Bio
Seventh Annual Juried Art Exhibition 9/07 - Exhibit, Video, and Slideshow
Shelly Hehenberger 7/07
Asheville Roundtable Artists 6/07
Daniel Smith 5/07: Exhibit and Slideshow
Sharon Bancroft 3/07: Exhibit and Slideshow
Amy Kincaid 2/07: Exhibit and Slideshow
John Michael Riley 1/07: Exhibit and Slideshow
6th Annual Juried Art Show Entries & Winners
Grace Centre Philosophy
Video
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