In the Studio with Kripa Kelly

Kripa Kelly is a self-taught local artist specializing in hand-drawn watercolor and mixed media portraits and paintings.

On being self-taught: In college, I started drawing for fun and knew I could improve over time. So, I trained myself by drawing everything from plants, to flowers, to buildings, and to people, just to name a few.

On her journey to being a professional artist: While I started playing around with drawing a little over a decade ago, I painted my first watercolor piece of a family of elephants to display in my son's room when he was an infant. That's when I knew I wanted to create more art. I dabbled in watercolor a few times a year, usually in the spring, taking a year off every now and then. Last fall, interest really took off when I took a break as a classroom teacher. I started my own Facebook art page soon after, Kripa's Art Shop and even started a YouTube channel, thanks to my eldest son, husband, and my daughter, Mommy Daughter Art.

On selling: My family and friends have been extremely supportive and have purchased my paintings. I actually sold my first commission to a stranger this March and have had many commissions since. Art is definitely a release from every day life, and I enjoy it immensely.

On choosing subject matter : I enjoy drawing and painting a broad range of subjects, including people, pets, cars, flowers, and buildings, but my most favorite subjects are children (especially mine) because they exude such beautiful innocence. I have many favorites among my pieces. It's hard to narrow down to one. 

For more of Kripa’s story and art, follow her on Facebook and check out her Mommy Daughter Art YouTube channel.