Presidential Commission

Jimmy Carter, acrylic 10x12.5", 2010 Collection of J. Anzalone
Jimmy Carter (preliminary sketch), graphite 8x10", 2010

Here is one of my most recent commissions. John Anzalone of Anzalone Liszt Research commissioned a few portraits of past American Presidents as well as the current president. Jimmy Carter is the first of the initial commissions. I love portraiture and these portraits fall under my affinity for pop culture icons, illustrated in my large celebrity portrait series The Entitled, The UnEntitled which has been posted in earlier entries. In addition to these presidential portraits, Anzalone has also commissioned several graphite portraits of his children. While my political sensibilities are quite antithetical to those of the Anzalone Liszt Research firm, my love for portraiture allows me to enjoy these current commissions quite profusely. Maybe someday I might have the honor of having American Presidents sitting for me. Enjoy - Jared

Children's Portrait Commission

Anzalone Christmas Commissions, graphite, 11x14"each, 2009

These two portraits were Christmas commissions for a current patron of mine, John Anzalone of Anzalone Liszt Research. I have been working on a few portraits of U.S. Presidents for John in the last couple of weeks. Once he saw the preliminary sketches he decided to commission similar graphite sketches of his kids. Of course these portraits incorporate much more elaborate graphite supplies as compared to preliminary sketches which are generally always done using a single grade of graphite (2B for example). I really enjoy these graphite portraits and they make for great gifts, especially for the Christmas season. More portraits of John's family will follow. I hope that you enjoy. If you're interested in commissioning a work please feel free to contact me through this blog or by clicking here.

Lilies on the Rocks

Lilies on the Rocks, watercolor, 9x16", NFS

Private collection of Rep. Mac Gipson, Montgomery, AL

This is a piece that I recently finished amid a few additional commission works. The Charleston House Gallery will be displaying this piece in preparation for an exhibition of J. Sidney Kelly works tonight. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am fascinated with patterns and fabric design. I attribute this fixation partly to my wife who make awesome purses and purse accessories, using a large collection of patterned fabrics. I never know what she'll be putting together on any given day.
In doing this particular piece I drew the initial wall pattern on grid paper and used transfer paper to trace it to the watercolor paper. After doing all this, I realized that I had wasted all my time. The thought hit me that I could have transferred the original drawing to a linoleum block and carefully cut-out the design. Then I could have used masking fluid to stamp the design over the entire background, allowing me to apply a wash to the background without painting in the areas of the motifs. Once the wash had dried I could have gone back and removed the mask layer and added the darker sage green to the pattern. Of course this is classic for me; always learning after the fact.
Anyhow, I am really pleased with how this piece turned out and I have bigger ideas for the next few watercolors. Enjoy - Jared.

New Watercolors

Little Boy, watercolor, 6x6", 2009 SOLD

The Ascent, watercolor, 6x8", $100 (scroll below to purchase)

Patterned Blooms, watercolor, 5x8", $100 (scroll below to purchase)

The Watchmaker Watches, watercolor, 8x6", $85 (scroll below to purchase)

Pet Portrait Commission, watercolor, 16x9", 2009

These are some of the pieces that I have been fortunate to work on as of late. My wife and I like to work a booth at the monthly Santuck Arts and Crafts Market where she sales her totally sweet purse organizers, checkbook covers, and handbags and where I sale my artwork. These watercolors were completed for this Art Market. If you are interested in purchasing one of these, contact me immediately so that someone else doesn't snatch up your favorite.

I will honestly be saddened greatly once The Little Boy watercolor sells. I am really fond of that painting. Though it is small, only six inches square, it is emotionally intriguing. I wonder what could have had this young boy so festered and pensive? I will truly miss it.

Let me know what you like. Keep up the creativity
- Jared

Choose which watercolor

The Ascent $100.00 Patterned Bloom $100.00 The Watchmaker $85.00

Remembering Ryan Otto

Ryan Otto, graphite, 9x12", 2009

I received this beautiful, priceless sketch of Ryan at the first Camp Smile A Mile program for families that have lost a 'camper' to cancer. Words cannot express my gratitude to Jared, a very talented and generous artist, who gave to me this gift that has captured Ryan so completely. He even managed to capture that mischievous gleam in his eye which is awesome because of the fact that Jared never got to meet Ryan! Ryan was a sweet child who was never any trouble. He loved everyone and he loved life! Even on the worst days of his life if you asked him how he was doing, he would always say "I"m good"! I have often told people that Ryan managed to accomplish more in his 14 years than I had in 41! That's how old we were when he went to live forever in heaven. I am now 43 but Ryan will be 14 Forever. What a testimony Ryan lived to life! He touched everyone who entered his life right up to the moment he left us! I miss him more than words can ever express, so you can imagine how grateful I am to have this portrait of my son, which I will cherish forever. Thank You again and God Bless you in all your future endeavors! - Michelle Huckabee

I would like to add that I truly enjoyed doing Ryan's portrait. It is important to me that each portrait comes as close to exactly matching the personality of the photo reference as possible. Sometimes I decide to make alterations for the portrait, like omitting background noise in the setting or simplifying clothing so as not to take away from the figure's portrait. Ryan's portrait is an example of what I did in many of the Camp SAM portraits because his shirt is white. Originally, Ryan had on a colorful and slightly distracting T-shirt. I chose to give him the appearance of wearing a white shirt, as I did for many of the children's portraits. I thought this was not only better for the focal point of Ryan's face but I thought that it was rightly symbolic of the purity of youth and the sacredness of each of these young kids. It was my honor to complete a portrait for Ryan. My prayers are with his family; may many more joys come into their lives and may their memories be filled with love. - Jared Kelley

Gone to the Dogs

Dog Commissions, 9x12" each, watercolor, 2009

I was able to do these pet portraits last week after the Charleston House called me and said they needed some breathtaking and amazing dog portraits for a client. I hadn't used watercolors in years before these commissions but it eventually came back to me. I have started working on more small scale watercolors just for fun. I am still very serious about my new graphite works and will hopefully have pics posted soon for that work.

Both of this paintings were done in one sitting from photographs that the owner provided me. I used Cotman watercolors and Strathmore 140 lb paper. I like to soak my watercolor paper for 15 - 30 minutes in a water bath before starting. To a 5/8" thick Birch board, I then staple the paper around all sides about a quarter inch in from the edges and spacing each staple roughly half an inch from the next. Once this dries I start drawing in my composition and painting. I find that soaking the paper beforehand reduces the amount of buckling that will happen from subsequent washes. Of course, I have a lot to learn but I thoroughly enjoy the process.

If you'd like to commission your own pet portrait, please contact me at jaredkelley@bellsouth.net or click on my profile pic for a link to my email. Thanks and ENJOY - Jared

New Commissions

Graphite Portrait Commissions, 11x14", 2009

I was privileged to fulfill the commission request for John R., a new acquaintance and parent of two strapping young lads. I met John at Camp Smile-A-Mile at the Remembering Their Smiles memorial night. He was so impressed with the portraits that were donated to the families of Camp SAM that he wanted to have a couple made of his two sons. I think that these relatively inexpensive graphite portraits are something that every family should look into. My hope is that these artworks will become respective heirlooms which go from generation to generation. I really wanted to take on the challenge of the wool sweater in the one portrait. Normally I try to neutralize the clothing to some degree so as to help it be impervious to fashion trends over the years (you don't want viewers 20 years from now looking at the portrait and laughing at the clothing) but I really thought the seasonal sweater will be something that hangs around as long as there are great-aunts and grandmothers to be found:) If you're interested in having a portrait commissioned, please contact me at jaredkelley@bellsouth.net or click on my blog profile for a link to my email. Enjoy - Jared

Portrait of Cailin

Cailin, graphite 12x21" approx., 2009

While I was working on the Camp Smile-A-Mile children's portraits a few weeks back, I took a break to do a portrait of my beautiful wife. Most of the time she gets short-changed when it comes to art because I am usually fulfilling gallery requests or commission pieces. I normally try to keep commission works at standard sizes so that framing isn't too expensive later on. But for Cailin's portrait I really just went with what I thought looked like an interesting size. I really enjoyed this extremely vertical composition. This was taken before Cailin chopped off her beautiful long hair for Locks of Love. It hangs in my studio to give me company during my other obligations. Hope you enjoy - Jared

Portrait Series Welcomes Jacko

Jacko, 24x24" acrylic on Masonite, 2009 $1200

(scroll below to purchase)

Recently I was contacted by a good friend of mine and artist, Mike "Jenk" Jenkins (you can see some of his artwork on this blog) who needed help filling up the empty wall space in a new restaurant in town. The Chop House (formerly the Vintage Year) is in Montgomery's historic Old Cloverdale district and will be a high end dining experience. Because the art market here in Montgomery, AL has not been red hot lately I pulled some of my artwork from the Charleston House Gallery to transfer them to the walls of the Chop House. When Jenk came by my studio to pic up the pieces he noticed my pop culture portrait series on the walls and said that he would like to take them to the restaurant as well. I enjoy these portraits, all part of The Entitled - The UnEntitled series, but never considered them an option for a high-end steakhouse. Oh was I wrong.... they have become the talk of all patrons since the Chop House doors opened. The only change that was made to the series was this addition of Michael Jackson. The owners of the restaurant wanted someone to replace Saddam Hussein who was originally one of the 12 portraits.

New celebrity and who's who names are popping up weekly so I am excited to be able to do more of these portraits. I hope to post more additions to the series soon. - Jared

Remembering Andrew Long

Andrew Van Long
December 22, 1998 – September 20, 2007
Andrew was born on December 22 but we brought him home on Christmas day. What a wonderful reminder of the gift that was his life. He was kind hearted, sweet and stubborn. He loved to laugh and would talk with you at length on just about any subject. He had a mop of blonde hair and the most beautiful blue eyes. Andrew lived for just over 8 ½ years; valiantly battling cancer for more than 3 of them. We could not be more proud of him and we will never forget him. - Anne Long