Toni Kelly
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Artist Bio:

Artist Toni Kelly has always lived in North Western Pennsylvania along the shores of Lake Erie. As a child, Toni was inclined to draw and paint, but her love of drawing and painting nature subjects didn’t come until later in life. After moving into her current home and studio, Toni became an avid gardener, backyard birder and nature hiker, often sketching her flowers, yard birds and landscapes in journals.

Toni’s art education has been self-directed with independent study, classes and workshops. She learned to paint with watercolor by prominent local instructors with additional study in botanical painting at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA.

Toni is also well known, both regionally and internationally, in the field of Calligraphy and Book Arts having studied under prominent international instructors. Toni began combining calligraphy with her painted images while attending an international calligraphy conference.

In 2019 Toni participated in a 4 day workshop to study under well known plein air and landscape artist Mark Boedges in Vermont. This helped expand her knowledge of landscapes and light.
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She now portrays nature related images on canvas painting with oils or acrylics. Birds and Landscapes are her main subjects. Her artwork has taken awards in juried shows and invitational exhibitions. Paintings can be found in local galleries and private collections.
Artist Statement:

While working in the garden or hiking on a trail I am constantly inspired by nature's beauty, complexity and patterns. 

Mostly working from photo reference and Plein Air sketches I create bird portraits, birds in landscapes, landscapes and wildlife in an impressionistic way to capture their reality.

​My goal is to draw you into the painting by creating depth using color, texture, light and shadow. Beginning with light layers of paint I build up the color and texture with each layer of paint and sometimes applying the paint in an abstract way rather than detail. Part of my process is also using palette knives and mixing mediums such as cold wax into my paints depending on the surface and texture to achieve the impression of the landscape or the feathers of a bird.
Affiliations
Northwest Pennsylvania Artist Association
Pittsburgh Guild of Calligraphers
Allegheny Highlands Botanical Artists Society
2002 - 2003 Exhibition Director for the Association of Calligraphic Arts
Erie Art Museum
Presque Isle Audubon Society 
Publications
The Healing Burnout Guide, 2021
​Work published in 'Nice Rendition' Cheryl Wheeler's Lyrics in Calligraphy 2010
Featured in 'Artful Blogging', Winter 2009 Volume 2 Issue 4
Articles in 'Bound and Lettered' titled 'Experimenting with Ross Art Paste' in 2004
and 'Wire Bound' in 2006.
Work published in ‘Letter Arts Review’ 2004 Wedding Edition.
Work published in Times News 2006 Fall Bridal Guide.
Image of work ‘Sleap Frog’ in ‘Leap Frog! The Ribbitting Tale’ 2004
Image of work ‘Fish Tales’ in ‘Go Fish! The Offishial Tale’ 2001
Awards
Honorable Mention 2018 Edinboro Art & Music, Edinboro, PA
Honorable Mention 2016 Wings in the Wild, Glynn Visual Arts, Saint Simons Island, GA
Honorable Mention 2006 Lily Festival, Campbell's Pottery, Edinboro, PA

First place in Mail Art Competition for the 1st Australian MAPs Conference in 2002.

Juried Exhibits
NPAA 50th Anniversary Membership Exhibit, 2024 - 2025
​     Mercyhurst University Cummings Gallery

LIGHT OBSCURED, 2024, Glass Growers Gallery
NPAA Biennial, Erie Art Museum, 2023 - 2024
Alleghany National Forest 100 celebration, Crary Gallery, Warren PA 2023 
NPAA Biennial, Erie Art Museum, 2021
NPAA Exhibition, Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA 2020
'Animals, Birds & Wildlife' Richeson75 International Online
     Meritorious selection  included in the exhibition book - 2018
'Edinboro Art & Music' Edinboro, PA - 2018​
'Wings in the Wild' St. Simons Island, GA - yr. 2016
'Women Create' Jamestown, NY  - yr. 2016
'Women Create' Jamestown, NY  - yr. 2014
'Lily Art Show' Cambridge Springs PA  - yr. 2013
'Women Create' Jamestown, NY  - yr. 2012 
Private Exhibit at Erie Insurance  - yr. 2011 
'Word for Word' Troy OH  - yr. 2003
'Lily Fest' Cambridge Springs PA  - yrs. 2006, 2004, 2003
'Panorama' Erie PA  -yr. 2005

Juried Traveling Exhibit
Mail Art for the Postal Museum of the Smithsonian 2002 - 2005

Invitational Shows & Features
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Women of NPAA, 2024 Octagon Gallery
'Naturally Inspired' solo show Octagon Gallery March 24 - April 21, 2023
'Visions and Memories: Women of Art' Stonewall Gallery, Nov 9- Dec 8, 2019
'Birds and Beasts'  Kelly Run Gallery,  April 27-June 22, 2019 
'For The Love Of Art' March 22 - 31, 2019
'Clowns' Artlore Gallery, Erie PA 2019
'6 Artists, 6 Visions' Ashtabula Arts Center, Ashtabula, OH 2018
'The Art of Nature' Stonewall Gallery, Cambridge Springs, PA 2016
'Cats & Dogs'  Stonewall Gallery, Cambridge Springs, PA 2014
Two person exhibit 'Flights of Fancy' Glass Growers Gallery, 2014
'Armerie Exhibit'  Bayfront Gallery 2014
'For the Birds'  Stonewall Gallery, Cambridge Springs, PA 2011
Participating artist in 'Postcards From the Gulf', Alabama
‘Nice Rendition’, Cheryl Wheeler’s lyrics in Calligraphy, traveling exhibit 2010 - 2011
Invited exhibitor for the 2007 Christmas Season at Kelly Run Gallery
Featured artist for Heart Gala 2005 creating ‘Many Faces One Heart’
One person show at the Transit Fine Arts Gallery, Oil City , PA 2002
Presented ‘Bookmaking and Creative Book Binding’ at Barnes & Noble.
One of the Erie, PA GoFish and Leap Frog artists who created 'Fish Tales' and 'Sleep Frog'
Chalk Walk artist for Celebrate Erie
​Publications
In the field of calligraphy Toni has been published in Bound and Lettered, and contributed to ‘Nice Rendition’ a book of calligraphic works of art accompanying the lyrics of Cheryl Wheeler. As an art blogger Toni was awarded a feature in Artful Blogging magazine in 2009.  In 2021 Toni was one of the featured artists in The Healing Burnout Guide.
The Healing Burnout Guide - 2021
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Artful Blogging - Winter 2009 Volume 2 Issue 4
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'Nice Rendition' Cheryl Wheeler's Lyrics in Calligraphy
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and an Article about 'Nice Rendition' in Bound and Lettered Vol.9, No.1
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Other publications of Bound and Lettered  /  Bound & Lettered Vol.5 No.3 and Bound & Lettered Vol.3 No.4
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Toni Kelly  /  Erie, PA 16511  /  Copyright 2013-2024 by the Artist
​All rights Reserved
  • HOME
  • ARTIST
  • WORKS
    • PALETTE KNIFE PAINTINGS
    • LANDSCAPE
    • BIRDS
    • MIXED MEDIA OLD BOOKS
    • BOTANICAL
    • GRAPHITE DRAWINGS
    • AVAILABLE ART
  • EXHIBITS_SHOWS
  • CONTACT
  • SHOP