“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
Artist Courtney Kelly is a living example of the abundance of creativity, joy, and fun one can produce in the creative process. Born and raised in the Old Pueblo, Tucson, Arizona, Courtney came by her zany outlook on the creative process growing up with an author and artist dad.
From the start, Courtney was drawn to the world of art, color, and the creation of delightfully whimsical drawings and paintings. Her unique style, a blend of fantasy and surrealism, is a testament to her creative spirit. 'Each weekend, my trip to a local art store with my dad kept me well stocked in items for the next thing I could imagine, 'she recalls. Her inspirations, such as Camilla D’errico and Greg Simkins, have a playful, unique, and instantly recognizable style, which she has incorporated into her own work.
Courtney attended Santa Rita High School in Tucson, where she credits an excellent art teacher for mentoring gift art students in developing their style. He encouraged them to experiment with the appropriate uses of art mediums and introduced the students to various artistic styles throughout art history. Courtney remembers spending hours studying brush strokes, looking at the details in the paintings, and being fascinated with the use of color and composition that made a painting a compelling piece of art.
After high school, Courtney ventured into a banking and mortgage loan career, but her passion for painting never waned. When the mortgage market crashed in 2007/8, she turned to her creativity. Her pieces started selling, and she began to explore various outlets to sell her work, including local shops, art fairs, and online sales. She also collaborated with other artists to enhance her skills and infuse new ideas into her work. This journey led her to make the bold decision to become a full-time artist, a testament to her determination and resilience.
Courtney's zesty and whimsical style has caught on. Her pieces containing exaggerated features of animals are meant to capture the joy and personality of each subject, more than just the subject's physical attributes. Those who have their pet's portraits commissioned with Courtney find their pet is easily recognizable in the illustration through the depiction of their spirit. Her favorite subjects to date are animals in nature, sea life, sighthounds, and greyhounds, although she can capture the mischief, fun, and folly in any subject.
Sol Dog Lodge and Arizona Heartfelt Hounds came on her radar. Initially, Courtney became involved in donating pieces for fundraising auctions for the group. The attention grew into a demand to present a workshop for pet adoptive parents with Arizona Heartfelt Hounds to paint their pet, resulting in a full-fledged partnership with the organization to create murals for their new facility, Sol Dog Lodge, located in Marana, Arizona. Courtney's tile mural design, in collaboration with Santa Theresa Tile of Tucson, is a cheerful welcome to dogs and their owners visiting the facility.
This partnership not only allowed Courtney to showcase her art but also to give back to the community she loves. Courtney volunteers with Greyhounds in Gettysburg, a significant fund raising event in Pennsylvania each year. Courtney accepts commissions for pet portraits, has an active presence on Facebook, and sells her creations through her Etsy shop. There is no doubt in the world of fun, frolic, fanciful, and fantastic art, artist Courtney Kelly has the corner on the market in Tucson and beyond.
Email: crtsart@gmail.com
Website: www.etsy.com/shop/courtsart
