Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Quinn.
Kelly, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
A wildlife artist and conservationist living in the wetlands of Kissimmee Florida. I’m also the Artist in Residence at The Florida Aquarium and when not painting or bird watching I’m using art to connect our local community to awesome wild places.
My curiosity and passion for nature was sparked by my families love of the outdoors. We would spend hours exploring the flood plains and ridges of central Florida, surrounded by Deer, Bobcats, Alligators, and birds of all kind. There would be this rush of excitement every time I saw an animal or found a beautiful flower, and for as long as I can remember, felt like I belonged in this crazy, weird and awesome place called nature.
So where does the art come in? I believe art is meant to connect you to a story. It’s also the way I express myself and how I interpret our world, but my passion and what inspires the artwork has always been nature. In my case, each artwork is created to share the abundance of life found in the wild places of Florida! Since I was three years old, the wildlife in Florida has influenced my creative spirit, and ever since I’ve been drawing and painting anything and everything that piques my interest.
After graduating from the University of Florida in 2016, My best friend and partner in crime, Blake Wheeler, inspired me to follow my dreams. He knew I wanted to use my artwork as a tool for conservation and he helped me see I could be the change I wanted to see in the world. Growing up, I saw the harmful effects of poor environmental management in Kissimmee, and I realized much of why it was happening was because there was this disconnect between my community and the environment that I loved so much. Today, it is my mission to use art and my voice to connect people to the wildlife and wild places that need our protection.
With the help of passionate people and organizations, I believe we can create a beautiful future for nature and people. partnered with The Florida Aquarium, we are creating a plan to share the wilds with our community through the development of an Artist in Residence program and community Arts Program. We also have launched “Paint in The Wild” classes that support local Non-profits, parks, and preserves with the completion of each class!
If you would like to see more artwork or follow the journey, please visit my website www.kellyofthewild.com or follow the Instagram and Facebook @kellyofthewild. If you would like to collaborate on an idea, take a class, or contact me, just send an email to kellyquinnartist@gmail.com!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My artwork is very colorful, and I like saying it “lifts the veil” on nature. When I paint, I’m thinking about what feeling I want to evoke in the viewer. I ask myself questions like; what personality does this animal have? What life does this animal live? Why should we care what happens to this animal? How can I make it relatable? How can I show off its true colors?
I mostly create works of art on canvas with Acrylic paints. But I also paint digitally with a Wacom tablet to create massive murals that are printed out and installed on ceilings and walls. The message behind my artwork is all about positivity. There is a lot of heaviness around the topic of conservation and environmentalism, so I like to use my artwork in a bright and positive manner to start conversations about animals and environments with my local community. I’ve found people are naturally curious and care about our planet and animals, and when you invite them into their world through a vibrant painting filled with life, they start to care a little more.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
Listen to critique! I used to hate being critiqued and would ignore solid advice… but now I’ve learned how powerful failure and being wrong is. It’s a chance to grow and to be better than you were the day before.
Another one is don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re not always going to get it right and failure is a good thing. Make connections would be my last advice. Go out in a public space and just live paint. Talk with people, go to local artist meet-ups or make a group on Facebook and find other artists in your area! Having a tribe is awesome, and they will support you in your endeavors.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The best place to see my artwork is on my website www.kellyofthewild.com or on my Instagram and Facebook @kellyofthewild
Contact Info:
- Address: 22 Lakeview Dr S
- Website: www.kellyofthewild.com
- Phone: 8133099663
- Email: kellyquinnartist@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyofthewild/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyofthewild/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3I1u6EtBk46ezZPfpFGDw?view_as=subscriber
Image Credit:
All images are my own.
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