Barbara Kelley

Growing up in Ohio, Kelley’s love of color developed as she played dress up in her mother’s evening gowns, favoring the brightest colored pieces. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance, Kelley’s color attraction continued as she performed in light opera companies, clad in beautiful, colorful costumes. After time off to raise her two sons and travel throughout the United States and Asia, Kelley later returned to the arts to study art history at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. It was there that she noticed her love of color returning as she roamed the galleries of artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Claude Monet, and Ellsworth Kelly. Now, viewers recognize Kelley’s love of color, texture, and design in her paintings and describe her work as “exciting, bold, and beautiful.” She loves to experiment with color, just as she did while performing and often asks the question “What if I try this?” Kelley has exhibited her paintings in private collections throughout the United States, with showings at the Indianapolis Art Center, the Corridor of Art in Austin, Galleries at Pecan Creek, and the Lakeway Painters annual art show.