Pastel, oil, and mixed media painter Madeleine Kelly was born in Abington, PA. After receiving a Liberal arts degree from Temple University, she set off on a career path that was varied, working in theatre, psychology, and criminal justice. Though she had a passion for painting as a child, she stopped painting at 18 to focus on ‘more serious’ career pursuits. She spent her early adult life moving from one unsatisfying career to the next. Meanwhile, she never again picked up a pencil to create until she was 47 and observed the brevity of life. Then, she says, she “boldly or should I say naively, changed my career to artist at 49 after losing my job because of a corporate merger.”
Madeleine started painting 17 years ago in colored pencil, then moved to pastels, then oils, and finally mixed media. Although she never formally studied art, she continued to grow as an artist and achieved her skills through workshops, museums, and demo presentations with such leading artists as Elizabeth Mowry, Rea Redifer, and Homer Johnson, among others. Her work is eclectic, both subject and style wise, mixing impressionism with some abstract art.
Madeleine maintains a studio in Southeastern Pennsylvania where she also teaches painting classes. An artist and educator, she has judged numerous exhibitions. Her works are displayed and admired in public and private collections around the world. Her paintings have been selected for various national and international juried exhibitions and she has been a recipient of numerous awards. She is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society, Philadelphia WaterColor Society, the Haverford Guild of Craftsmen, and is currently serving on the board of the Philadelphia WaterColor Society.
She has been published in magazines and newspapers including a Philadelphia Inquirer feature, and an American Artist Magazine feature. Her artwork can be seen gracing the set of an indie film, “The Suspect.”
Says Madeleine, “As an artist, evolution is necessary. Experimentation is required, exploring the tools and rules of texture, color, and design. All are channels for passion and feeling, informing my artistic voice.”