Kelly Walker

Double Dog Designs

Kelly began painting in oils in the late 1980’s as a fluke.  While suffering with the flu, she saw a painting program on PBS and thought, “I can do that!”.  Which she did in the following weeks as she experimented with oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastels.  Her first love is oil painting, which she does in “fits and starts”, sometimes painting for days and then doing nothing for months.  Her hobby expanded this a few years ago as she began creating jewelry.  

Kelly had two One-Woman Shows in Hopkinsville, KY in the mid 1990’s.  Since moving to Virginia she has participated in juried shows at the Blue Ridge Arts Council (BRAC) in 2000, 2001, and 2002.  At the 2000 exhibit, she was awarded Best in Show for a work in pastel and was awarded a One-Woman Show at BRAC in October 2000.  In July and August 2005, she held a very successful benefit show called "Dog Days of Summer" that raised money for the Warren County Humane Society.

Kelly is a native of Georgia where she received a BS in Secondary Education from Georgia Southern College.  She is currently working full-time as an artist and consultant.  Prior to that she worked for sixteen years with  Chambers of Commerce and she has also worked civil service for the U. S. Army in Germany, sold real estate, taught school and hosted a television show.

Kelly is a firm believer in public/community service and is very active in many organizations in the community.  She has served on the Board of the Pennyroyal Arts Council, Hopkinsville, KY, and is currently serving as President of the Blue Ridge Arts Council Board in Front Royal, VA.   She is a member of the Shenandoah Plein Air Painters and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association.

Kelly studied extensively with Barbara Gardner, a well-known artist in Kentucky, and has taken workshops with Joyce Pike, Pat Weaver, and Morgan Samuel Price.

Other than her art, Kelly enjoys hiking on the Appalachian Trail, reading,  the study and observation of politics, and all things "dog".  She is knee deep in helping open an off-leash dog park in her community much to the delight of her dogs, Truman and Roosevelt.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

My philosophy of art is best described by my favorite art related quote which is from Van Gogh.  He said,  

“If you hear a voice within you saying

you are not a painter,

then by all means paint and

that voice will be silenced.”

Many times I pick up a brush and that voice says to me, “What the heck do you think you are doing?”  But then I put paint on the brush and before I know it I have a painting.  For me painting is a release, a place to go to relax.  Once I start, it is difficult to stop. 

I mainly work in oils and acrylics and have experimented in pastels but have become addicted to watercolors lately.  Having painted in oils for 17 years, I enjoyed the flexibility of working the oils around on the canvas and changing the piece until I was satisfied with the finished product.  With acrylics I have learned to enjoy the spontaneity of the paint as well as the vividness of the colors.  Not unlike watercolor, once you put the initial color on the canvas, you don’t have the option of moving the paint around.  Watercolor and acrylics requires me to think the painting through before I pick up the brush.