The Arts & Business Council, Blackbird Media, and F&M Bank have teamed up to present the Artist of the Week on The Nashville Sign. This week’s featured artist is Kelley Rice!
Kelley Rice creates encaustic paintings, which is the use of pigments mixed with hot wax burned in as an inlay. She finds the medium’s fluidity translates well into the organic style of her work.
Kelley’s artwork is inspired by a love of nature, animals and whimsy – a healing journey with images recalling childhood emotion. Employing art as a tool for healing from grief and loss, she hopes the viewer will initially be captured by the image itself, then feel joy and lightness of heart as details reveal themselves like tiny surprises.
“I am a graphic designer professionally, which can be quite technical. In contrast, my artwork is tactile and alive with energy and emotion. Both professions combined create a wonderful marriage for creation.”
Kelley’s career as a professional graphic designer spans over 3 decades. She has been involved in the arts since childhood, but is only recently pursuing her dream of becoming a full-time artist. Kelley exhibits her work in encaustic and mixed media online and has had shows at the Jewish Community Center and The Turnip Green Creative Reuse Gallery in her hometown Nashville, TN.
To see more of Kelley Rice’s work, visit kelleyriceart.com.
Want to be featured on The Nashville Sign? Visual artists working in any medium, who are members* of the Arts & Business Council at the Basic Level ($30 annually) or above, are eligible to apply for Artist of the Week on The Nashville Sign.
*Those unable to become members due to financial barriers can be granted a waiver. Contact us at [email protected] to be confidentially considered for a waiver.