Kelly Williamson

Kelly Williamson has always leaned toward creativity and spent her childhood exploring dance, drama, and poetry. As an adult she has also enjoyed photography. Her eldest son had been attending painting classes for a while and she had a discussion with him about how wonderful it must be to be able to create art and how she would love to be able to do what he did. He asked, “Why don’t you give it a go”? and that one question, 5 years ago, began her journey to canvas and brush. Part of her journey has also been the mentoring she receives from a wonderful artist, Heather Bradbury.

Kelly always works in oils, refers to her style as realistic and has a deep appreciation for the natural world. She finds inspiration in the delicate intricacies of the world around us. She says, ‘I have found that I am especially drawn to how light hits a subject. I also adore the grace and colours of birdlife.’

While Kelly is inspired to paint from the natural world she is also stimulated and inspired by many elements in the world of art from the Renaissance period to Contemporary Art. Much of her love of light on a subject comes from her appreciation of Rembrandt’s work.

When thinking about the process she uses to create a work of art, Kelly describes, ‘I have found that painting brings stillness to my busy world. I disappear into the canvas and to be able to paint I must first feel an attachment to, and a compulsion to capture the subject. I firstly sketch the subject, then often will work to paint the background. I then focus on the subject, blocking in the first coat, creating the light and darks of the subject, and then continues to build and layer my work and complete finer detail. After allowing my paintings to dry, which can take a significant number of months dependent on weather and oils used, the work is varnished enhancing the colours.  

At present work life sees Kelly limited in the time she needs to put brush to canvas but she hopes to keep growing and exploring, able to spend much more time with her art in the future, taking the opportunity to explore different styles.