Meg Kelley
Although she never went to art school, Meg Kelley found creative outlets throughout her life that have progressively grown into the launching of her art career after 15 years in the medical field. Unconventional use of tools and materials have been ways through which Kelley has explored a variety of mediums, and this generates a lot of creative momentum for her. Diving deeper into art has taught her about the beauty of being neurodivergent and has helped to release the stigmas she has carried about it since childhood.
Kelley creates freehand art on choice vintage leather garments, shoes, and accessories; breathing new life into old things through the upcycling process. The result is a wearable, one-of-one piece of art that can never be duplicated. Kelley enjoys the 3D aspect of her canvases; the contours are both challenging and inspiring. There is an additional edge to painting freehand: Kelley must live with and work through her mistakes until they turn into something she loves and feels proud of. Kelley finds this process to be a wonderful metaphor for life; that we are all just a mistake or two away from realizing our true beauty and gifts.
There is an intuitive nature to her process; one that requires her to loosen her creative agenda and allow ideas and concepts to come “through” her rather than “from” her. Put more simply, Kelley often finds herself asking her canvas “What do you want?” and then trying her best to express that. As a result, Kelley’s art has become a testament to the transformative power of creation.
Each finished piece tells a story that extends beyond her own narrative. There is an invitation to see the interconnectedness (and simultaneous disconnection) of the global community, and to offer a deeper view of what it means to be human.
