"The Conch Gecko" Painting

Artist's Statement: "I often use salvaged antique items from the 19th and early 20th century such as sheet music, piano parts, postcards, keys and clock parts and many other items to create abstract portraits and compositions. All of my work is coated in an epoxy resin, giving the artwork a glass-like appearance. The idea of taking an antique item and utilizing it into a work of art which will be enjoyed forever fascinates me. My passion for history and antiques is heavily expressed in my work, and I find that as an artist you need to be aware of the history of art and what has been done before; and then try to reinvent the wheel.One of my favorite artists, Jill Scott, said "I think, as an artist, you have to experience some deep turmoil, some kind of pain, because that's what connects you with the world. That's what makes it juicy!" --- and I could not agree more. Having lost my father at 16 made me realize that life is short and you should do what you love. Creating art has always been a passion of mine, and I have been following that dream ever since." Bio:Kreg David Kelley (b.1982) won his first art award at the age of 12 with the 'Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards Program' for a drawing entitled 'Holocaust'. In 1996 he drew several drawings of the first teacher-in-space, S. Christa McAuliffe, and gifted them to her mother, which now hang in the Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center in Framingham, MA. A huge fan of X-Men and Marvel Comics, he began to study the art of drawing in his free time and soon became obsessed. Throughout his early life he experimented in different artistic mediums, but it wasn't until 2003, that his art became more of a full on passion. Aside from abstract and 3D works on canvas, he often utilizes artifacts from the 18th - 19th century into his pieces such as sheet music, engravings, clock parts, musical instrument parts, photogravures, skeleton keys, and anything else he can get his hands on. From February until April of 2006, he had his first solo show in collaboration with the Actors' Theatre of Washington and David Mamet's Victorian lesbian comedy, 'Boston Marriage': all 15 pieces sold. During that time, he was also commissioned by Galerie Lareuse to create a collage of the 100th anniversary of Washington D.C.'s University Club, which now hangs in their lobby. Several of his pieces are in world-reknowned chef Gerry Garvin's restaurant in Hollywood & he participated in a group show in NYC featuring works by Yoko Ono.