Jay Kelly

Zoom in collage - the distance defines the level of detai of the merging pieces.

The whole is bigger than the pieces and the pieces are bigger than the whole.

"Figurative collage. As a self taught artist, I picked up second hand books to learn about art history. While creating my own work, I found myself clipping meaningful images and bits of text and attaching them directly to the canvases. I layered darker images and lighter clips of text with paint to create shadows and highlights. Eventually I dropped the paint all together and began creating images entirely out of found material."

"I chose to paint with paper and various printed materials in order to achieve a unique depth to my work. By allowing the viewer to first see a complete, near photorealistic image from a distance, then at a closer look to explore the many individual textures and bits of text, I am able to add layers of meaning to each piece. I love the effect that thousands of little bits of paper, all taken out of context, come together to create something new. I feel art should inspire, transport and hopefully awe the viewer, that is certainly my intention with this series of collage."