Nude #753 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

18" x 24" watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper

I sometimes channel Matisse- have you noticed? If I were to emulate anyone - he is the One. This model's face has a smile that makes me happy. The whole painting is whimsical. I can never plan whimsical - it just happens.

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Nude #752 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

13" x 19" watercolor, graphite + pastel on paper
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Not Lady Gaga- original portrait by Gretchen Kelly

9"x 13.5" acrylic + graphite on wood
Remember Cher? Lady GaGa is not old enough to, but she definitely takes cues from this original who was always before her time and sometimes in her own time zone. I have to admit that I was a huge fan of Cher's 70's TV show on Saturday night after the Carol Burnett show. I loved her costumes designed by Bob Mackie. This image of Cher's face is from the late 60's - another shot I found in a vintage Vogue fashion spread. She was a trend setter when she came on the scene with Sonny. It was a look all her own.
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Nudes # 750 + #751 - original watercolor nudes by Gretchen Kelly

Nude #750 - 11"x17" watercolor, 
gouache, pastel, graphite on paper

 

Nude #751 - 11" x 17" watercolor, gouache, pastel, graphite on paper


I have been mating my nudes as couples that compliment each other if they were to live in a space on a wall together. These two possess the calmness and serenity that you may find in a bedroom. I know I would like this kind of feeling in my boudoir.

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Nude #749 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

12" x 17" watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper
There is a bit of Matisse in the color and pattern of this seated nude. Matisse is my favorite Artist of them all. When I surprise myself with a painting that emulates one of his, I am pleased with that.
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Nude #747 + 748 - original watercolor nudes by Gretchen Kelly

11" x 17" water color, pastel, gouache + graphite on paper
These two work nicely as a couple together.

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Soft Swirl Girl - original portrait by Gretchen Kelly

8.5" x 11" gouache + pigment on card

I have taken imagery from a vintage 60's magazine again and placed this portrait over paisley patterns that I was creating color combinations with. I named this portrait based on the memory of an old Donovan song called "Mellow Yellow" but this is in soft ash white colors and dusty shades of lavender and blueberry. It made me think of soft swirl ice cream from Carvel's. Remember that! Yummy -and they are still around. I would pick a vanilla brown bonnet over Ben + Jerry's Cherry Garcia any day. Now I crave ice-cream and I just broke that habit at the end of the summer.

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Veruschka in Painted Desert - original portrait by Gretchen Kelly

8.5" x 11" gouache + gold pigment on card

Seen here is the image of famous 1960's model, Veruschka. I vividly remember this image of her from Vogue back in 1968. It was the colorful photography, flowing fabrics and ornamentation of gemstones, braided cords and mounds of hair pieces - AND THE MAKE UP! She was painted like a modern Cleopatra in the Arizona desert. I will never forget a family vacation we took with another family and two baby sitters who were probably about 16 years old. I must have been about 10. I had a beautiful double decker set of cake watercolors which included metalic silver + gold. I painted my babysitter's faces like the models in Vogue magazine models. They loved it! I wish I had pictures of that. Little did anyone know, back then, the danger of gold and silver pigments on the skin.

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Not Ali - original portrait by Gretchen Kelly

8.5" x 11" gouache + graphite on card

SOLD TO  collector in Maryland

Here's another one - breaking out of the box - portrait!
I am really having fun doing these and am being taken away. I can remember when I was around 11-12 years old in the late 60's creating "Mod" posters with my rendition of leggy girls and my own handlettering. I would look at fashion magazines that my mom had or in the NY Times ads for Bloomingdales or Women's Wear Daily newspaper that my Mom had laying around. All these publications had illustrations by Artists doing free and flowing colorful images of that era. I am greatly influenced by that time in life. My eyes were wide open looking at style + design + Art by Pushpin Studio Artists such as family friend John Alcorn, Milton Glaser, Seymor Chwast and who wasn't looking at Peter Max? I was a wanna-be hippie girl listening to the Beatles, Cream, Hendricks, Laura Nyro, Santana, Derek and the Dominos, the Temptations. I looked at female movie stars like Ali McGraw, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Jane Fonda (Audrey Hepburn! and Katherine Hepburn). I soaked in everything from those days. I can remember the velvet bellbottoms I wore to my first girl/boy 13th birthday party and the purple hand embroidered and sequined bolero vest that I made. I recently went to my 35th highschool class reunion. I had adult conversations with many people I hadn't seen in over 35 years (36 really - because I graduated a year early) One guy who I hadn't seen since middle school attended this reunion meaning I hadn't seen him in about 40 years!. He moved to a different neighboring town and stayed in touch with others ----but I digress--- He reminded me of the sweetest thing that I didn't remember. I didn't recognize him and he re-introduced himself and slowly he came right into focus. He said that in the mail he received an invitation from me, he was SOOO Happy to get it, to my 13th birthday party! He remember specifically that at the bottom it said "wear what you please" (!!!!) I remember making those invitations one by one with my own special handlettering, which I had mastered by that point in time. Each invitation was a different color combination that I handmade on origami paper. I wish I saved one of those....
Boy - I sure am rambling tonight! I think I am time traveling down memory through my Artwork.

Portrait of Ingrid- original painting by Gretchen Kelly

8"x11" gouache + graphite on paper
Sometimes I have to do something completely different. I was fooling around making color combinations randomly with leftover paints. I created a lot of background pages to then paint on top of. I have a some vintage magazines from the 60's that contain a lot of images that I recall from when I was young looking through my mom's Vogue magazines. I grew up loving these images of the first super models like Verushka, Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton and Lauren Hutton. These were my icons of style and beauty. To this day I tear out portraits and fashion clippings that inspire me and create piles of colorful inspiration to then do things like this with. It looks like it's coming out of left field but this is the kind of thing that leads me to the next phase of my work. It was completely freeing to do this and I wonder where it will take me?

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Nude #746- original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

10"x 13" watercolor + graphite on paper
From a 5 minute pose
$100.

Nude #745 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

15" x 20" watercolor, gouache, pastel + graphite on paper
from a 25 minute pose
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Nude #744- original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

11" x 16" watercolor, gouache + graphite on paper
from a 5 minute pose
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Nereid Goddess + Sea Dragon - original painting by Gretchen Kelly

19" x 25" gouache, pigment + silver leaf on paper
Another in the series of Nereid Goddesses. I incorporated many design details into this painting- a stenciled background motif and sea dragon from my own imagination who is embellished from head to tail in scrolly florid tendrils with ruffles and beads. That's pretty much how they dress in my sea kingdom. For the Goddess - not much in the way of clothes but a sword and shield are necessary finishing touches in accessorizing this protector of the seas.

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Nereid Goddess + Seahorse - original painting by Gretchen Kelly

approx 12" x 24" gouache, pigment + silver leaf on paper
This painting was done as part of the Nereid Goddess series in my recent presentation at my Goddess Salon in October during Artswalk 2009. It was an exercise in research and interpretation to put my own version of a mythological character on paper. I like the versions I came up with. In doing this, I also created a nice coat of arms.
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One minute pose series XLVII.1,2.3 -original gesture nudes by Gretchen Kelly

10" x 13" gouache, pastel + graphite on paper
purchase as a set of 3 for $150.

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Nude #743 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

11" x 16" watercolor, graphite on paper
This painting was done from a 25 minute pose.
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Nuded #742- original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

8" x 11" watercolor, graphite and ink
This nude is from my imagination rather than looking at a model or a photo.
It's a little exercise in using different muscles.
$100.

Interview with Artist Melissa Slattery on GK's Universe blog

Another fun and insightful interview with an Artist - click

Nude #741 _ original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

15" x 20" - watercolor, pastel, graphite on paper
From a 25 minute pose.

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Cleopatra in Repose - original portrait in watercolor by Gretchen Kelly

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


15" x 22" - watercolor, gouache, gold leaf on paper

This is my annual Halloween portrait that I paint of my friend Lisa, who always does a costume worthy of an award every year. I will post more pics after tonight's debut- out + about in Hudson at the local parties where we all will be unrecognizable.

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Nude #740 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

12"x12" watercolor, gouache, pastel + graphite on paper
Our model posed with her cute little pooch for a quick 10 minute pose.
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Morticia - Halloween 2008 - original paintings by Gretchen Kelly

Morticia posed last year. I thought I would re-post these because they are so much fun.

Morticia - 15.5"x30" - gouache on paper

She died on my daybed. Botero, my cat doesn't mind sleeping with the dead.

R.I.P. 19"x25" watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper

A profile is always a must when painting one's portrait

Black + White + BLOOD- 19"x24" watercolor, gouache + graphite on paper

Morticia was always a fashion victim

Subterranean + Sultry- 17.5"x23" - watercolor, gouache + graphite on paper

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Nude #739 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

 11" x 16" watercolor, gouache, graphite and pastel on paper
This nude is from the last 10 minutes of a 35 minute pose. The first one I did in 25 minutes from this same pose-Nude #737. I like to work fast and find that if I spend more than 45 minutes on a pose I ruin it when working in watercolors. I am definitely most comfortable under pressure and with fewer choices. Innate sensibilities come into play with color choices and linework. I put my lines in last with a water soluble graphite stick. This wonderful implement does all kinds of great things. It has a bleeding effect that I like, and sometimes it drowns under the wet white gouache that I use.

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Nude #738 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

12" x 12" watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper
One of the many that I did last Sunday, from a 5 minute pose
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Nude #737- original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

11" x 16" watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper
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Nude #736 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

12" x 19" watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper
She's Fauvist in color and what I am feeling these days in regard to this season of colorful foliage. One of my favorite things to do is to drive on the Taconic State Parkway in NY and space-out in the beauty of the colors and the terrain as I drive. I still have my mind on the road and know it like the back of my hand. My eyes are filled to the tippy top with the beauty of Mother Nature's creation. I get lots of inspiration on these drives and much serenity in the 2+ hour drive that I often take to Ct. I take random drive-by pictures out the window as I am steering with the left and clicking with the right...I've gotten pretty good at this task through the years.
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Nude #735 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

12" x 19" - watercolor, gouache, pastel + graphite on paper
I was so happy to get back to figure painting today. I have a whole bevy of new beauties which I will post this week. I am going to be away from my desk for a few days and I am prepared with a load of work that I can post. Also, check out my landscape blog for some Fall foliage at: www.gretchenkellyart2.blogspot.com
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One minute pose series XLVII.1,2 -original gesture sketches by Gretchen Kelly

10" x 13" gouache + pastel + graphite on paper
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One minute pose Mermaid III.1,2,3 - original sketches by Gretchen kelly

10" x 13" gouache + graphite on paper
SOLD to a collector in Maryland.

this is the third set of Mermaid quick sketches that I presented in my Goddess Salon

Mermaid + Moon - original watercolor portrait by Gretchen Kelly

19" x 25" watercolor, gouache, pigment, silver leaf on paper

This painting started with a live model pose and I was intending for her to transform into a mermaid but I didn't know where else the painting would go. I felt like I was being led to a mysterious place and I think that shows in the outcome. As I have been staring at it for several weeks, I see that I want to do another version of this with some changes.
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Check out the Goddess Salon -

Click this magic button to visit- O

Nereid Goddess + Dolphin - original watercolor painting by Gretchen Kelly

watercolor + silver leaf on paper

I did this painting in response to a suggestion made by a collector who loves my nudes. He mentioned to me that the subject matter of these Mediterranean goddesses would possibly be harmonious with my ongoing painting of nudes. He was right about that. Through the summer I incorporated the water into many of my nudes. I started to look into the imagery of the Nereid Goddesses and did some minor reading up on the subject. I then tried my own hand at bringing forth what came to the surface in my own consciousness. I did a small series of the Nereid Goddesses which I presented in my Goddess Salon this past weekend. I will post them in the coming week, one by one. I was happy to be reintroduced to Ancient mythology and am now hooked on this new source (new for me) of inspiration for my ongoing creative path of painting the female figure. I see it as just the beginning of my Goddess genre.
Thanks, Pat- for being so astute.

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Nude #734 - original watercolor nude by Gretchen Kelly

13" x 20" - watercolor, gouache, graphite on paper
From a 15 minute pose.
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One minute pose Mermaids II.1,2,3,4 - original sketches by Gretchen Kelly

10"x13" gouache + graphite on paper

Preview of what is to appear in the Goddess Salon this weekend-

$200. set of 4

Tahitian Goddess charcoal study - original sketch by Gretchen Kelly

18"x24" charcoal on paper
study for Tahitian Flower and Goddess series  based on a beautiful photo of a friend of mine.

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ARTSWALK 2009- Cannonball Factory opening reception

 Make sure you check out my post on the Artswalk 2009 event at:

http://gksuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/10/artswalk-2009-cannonball-factory.html

See continuous updates on the event as I post on this blog.