A Painters Spirit

I became an abstract painter when the background of my work became more important than the subject I was painting.  Oils were my preferred medium for years but I turned to acrylics in 2022.  Color plays an important role in my work.  Intuitive layering of paint and marks remain a focus. 
Large watercolor pieces allow me to be quick and expressive.  There is a relationship between one mark and another.  The marks often resemble written language. Many of these pieces have an Asian aesthetic.
For both mediums, intentional and  random marks create an element of nature or an introspective piece.  Stages and challenges of life are depicted in sections, compartments, layers or the expression of a mark.  Nature, Faith, politics, introspection and even nursery rhymes are present in my work.  I am reminded that I am connected to the bigger world through my art.  My influences include Gerhard Richter, Cy Twombly, Willem DeKooning, Cecily Brown, Julie Mahretu, Ed Moses, the Impressionists, Chinese and Japanese paper works and many others.  
University of Georgia
Georgia State University BFA

Represented by The Gallery at Flat Rock                                                                                          
828-698-7000                                                                                             
[email protected]    

Kelly G Chelena Fine Art
413 N Wall Street
Hendersonville, NC 28739
828-388-1311