Photo Gallery
Conversations in color: Lorri Kelly exhibits her abstract paintings at festivals in the fall and spring.
Lorri Kelly began painting to express emotions following the death of her daughter.
Abstract shapes and slashes emerged in bold, layered, colorful splashes that spoke loudly and eloquently of her depth of feeling. Her work made such a statement, she began to consider her pieces "conversations between colors."
Encouraged by her father - noted abstract watercolorist W. Scott Wilson, whose idea it had been to let her emotions out in paint - she continued painting. Her art therapy eventually evolved into her livelihood. Now Kelly is on the road exhibiting in two to three shows each month, with only December off. Her annual income is what she sells during the spring and fall festival seasons.
"I am trying to get ready for seven shows within two weeks," she says as she paints inventory in her home studio. "In my (festival) booths, I normally have a wall of 140 paintings that are 8-inches by 8-inches, plus 30 to 40 larger paintings. That's what I take to every show."
Kelly paints in acrylics that she spreads on wooden boards with her hands "because even the short length of a paintbrush keeps me too far away from the close contact that these intensely personal stories demand," she explains.
Her husband, mosaic artist Steve Terlizzese, builds the panels for her. As she spreads and layers paint, she is constantly turning the board to view her work from every angle.
"Sometimes I'm surprised to find that I've painted the whole thing upside-down, or that there are four different paintings, depending on which direction I hold the panel. In one direction, certain colors shout and others whisper; in another direction, the colors switch roles or another emotion speaks up louder than the others," she describes.
Once satisfied with the colors, she uses different utensils to scrape lines or reveal layers of pigment. She might also go back at the end of the process with a pencil to outline shapes, defining them for viewers. She describes her work as "non-objective art."
"Lorri Kelly's non-objective, abstract, acrylic paintings on wood panel communicate through the use of bold color and sophisticated intimate hand application, which includes scraping into the paint layers to reveal past artistic choices. Lorri achieves an intensely vibrant and strong visual experience for the viewer while also providing subtle story lines through her pencil work," said a Tennessee Craft Fair juror, who must remain anonymous in accordance to Tennessee Craft's rules.
Tennessee Craft is the former Tennessee Association of Craft Artists, which annually holds spring and fall shows of fine art and crafts. These juried shows are held on the lawn of the Parthenon in Nashville.
In addition to the Tennessee Craft Fall Fair, Kelly will also show in Arts in the Park on Monday in Marietta, Arts in the Heart of Augusta, Ga., Atlanta Arts Festival in Piedmont Park, Florida Art Harvest in Dunedin, and Bluff Park Art Show in Birmingham, Ala.
Kelly's conversations in color are conversation starters in her exhibits. She enjoys explaining her process to festival-goers and answering their questions.
"It's that direct connection to the audience I love; meeting the people who are going to collect my work. I stand right in the center (of the booth). I greet everyone, explain my process and show them how they can hang (the artwork) in all directions. It builds a relationship to where they will come back every year to get a new piece."
That personal connection combined with a savvy use of social media has proven successful. Prior to each juried show, she sends out email blasts and Facebook posts, notifying customers and galleries in that city where she will be and when.
"The artist is not only the creator, but the person who markets the work, sells it and sometimes does the accounting as well," she explains.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.