Paul Kelley is a Canadian artist born in Nova Scotia in 1955.
Paul Kelley at a glance
- Born: 1955, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Nationality: Canadian
- Known for: Realistic paintings of the female form, and marine scenes
- Medium: Painting
- Style or movement: Realism
- Education: Mount Allison University, New Brunswick (1973 to 1975)
- Based in: LaHave, Nova Scotia
- Website: paulkelley.ca
“I have always regarded this work as a celebration of the female form and commentary on woman’s commanding visual presence in our world, in addition to their humanity and intellect.”
Paul Kelley took his academic studies at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick from 1973 to 1975, and he now lives in LaHave, Nova Scotia with his wife and family, enjoying time with family and friends, running, kayaking, and working on their 100 year old house.
Paul Kelley’s quiet lifestyle belies his acute sense of the elements of fundamental beauty and sensuous allure, and he understands the subtle difference between sensual beauty and sexual eroticism, and his expertise in composing elements within the canvas makes his art uniquely powerfull and appealing.
Paul Kelley’s art is a labor of love, and each realistic painting is the result of hundreds of hours of work involving careful manipulation of light and form, colour and composition, to create passionate and alluring images, whether the subject is a marine scene or a young woman in high heels.
Paul Kelley hopes that throughout his career he has been able to please many people with his paintings, and he believes that it is important to appreciate beauty as an end in itself, as simple as stopping to regard the beauty of a sunrise regardless of what the rest of the day has in store.
- Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1955.
- Studied at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.
- He lives in LaHave, Nova Scotia, with his family.
- His work celebrates the female form and sensual beauty.
- His paintings require hundreds of hours of work each.
Paul Kelley’s art is a celebration of the female form and a commentary on woman’s commanding visual presence in the world, and he believes that allegory and metaphor exist in his artwork, but the beauty and grace of the female form is intended to convey just that, making his work both powerful and serene.
Art Category Fact: Contemporary Canadian realism is a movement that emerged in the late 20th century, characterized by a focus on realistic depictions of everyday life and the natural world, with artists like Paul Kelley, who blend traditional techniques with modern sensibilities to create works that are both timeless and deeply personal.
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” — Edgar Degas
Paul still paints from his home in LaHave, and you can see where his work has gone at paulkelley.ca.