Artist in Profile: Nicola Kelly

Artist in profile Nicola

Nicola Kelly is a self taught artist from Bray Co. Wicklow. During 2007 she began painting using acrylics and more recently oils, she is influenced by surrealism right through to street art.

Her earlier work is reminiscent and inspired by old classic film noirs; her recent work explores less constrained ideas and concepts. She has always had an instinctive need to discover the ëpeculiarí in the otherwise ordinary; she is intuitively drawn to the unusual. Her relentless and still intensifying need to paint was the fortunate consequence of an inquisitive encounter with some acrylic paints.

The expressive nature of painting allows her ideas to exist and evolve further into something not always expected, while creating a harmonious interaction between the illogical and rational. Her paint palette is kept lively with a preference for strong vibrant tones conveying an energetic optimistic feeling.

One of her most recent paintings based on W.B Yeats, who was born in Sandymount, appears in the form of fifty Euro notes beginning to come off the canvas, this one element of the painting is clearly indicative of an uncertain economy.

With intentions of amusing and igniting feelings of curiosity within the viewer, simultaneously she aims to engage them in a visual ëanagramí of sorts which challenges them to question how they interpret their surroundings and hopefully look again intently with renewed enthusiasm.

Having displayed some of her paintings locally- and received commission work which is currently displayed in Molloys Coffee Shop, on the Quinsborough Road in Bray, she now hopes to exhibit and share her passion with a wider audience in the near future. And for the moment she intends to continue developing and refining her skills further, while thoroughly enjoying the entire process of creating something with the capacity of evoking so many emotions.

Some of Nicola’s recent work can be viewed at www.newirishart.com/NicolaKelly

By Jason McDonnell