BYRON KELLY

PRINTMAKER

There's something about an Elvis paiting on velvet...

I've been drawing all my life but only recently discovered the joy of printmaking and letterpress. I observe the humor and horror that surrounds my daily existance and am inspired by it. I try to capture it in the abstract to tell a visual story in a single image. Early on, as with almost every artist I know, each work was my baby, never to be sold or given away. However, my mom taught me to share so her words knaw at me. When I discovered printmaking I discovered a way to create my children as clones, keeping 1 and releasing the rest into the world to exist, to bring emotion, to just be. That's satisfying to me.

I'm a new artist following the model my Grandma Kelly followed. She had her career, raised her kids, then later on in life her love of art blossomed. Like her, I've had my career (retired USAF) and now it's time to let all that imagery in my head flow free for my enjoyment and yours.

My art is still finding it's voice made a bit harder without the traditional BFA pedegree. I'm a bit of an outsider. My art is graphic in style, which makes it low rather than fine art. I'm ok with that. The folks who made those velvet Elvis paintings had fun. That's what my art is to me, fun!