IN THE STUDIO, AN OIL BY BRENDAN KELLY

* BRENDAN KELLY RP (SCOTTISH b 1970),
IN THE STUDIO (A SELF PORTRAIT)
oil on board, signed, titled on label verso
18cmx 17cm
Framed.
Label verso: The Edinburgh Gallery, Light & Colour Exhibition, 1-18 March 1997.
Note: Brendan Kelly was born in Edinburgh in 1970 and now lives and works in London. He studied at the Slade School in London for a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. His work is held in a number of national collections in the UK including The National Portrait Gallery where he has two portraits, the UK Parliament and the Bank of England. His portrait of the former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow hangs in the Speaker’s State Rooms at the Palace of Westminster. In 2004 he took part in "Being Present" at Jerwood Space, having just won the De Laszlo Prize for the best portrait by a young artist at the 2004 RP exhibition. Kelly was also commended several times in the BP Portrait Award before winning second prize in 2001 for Nude in a Nightclub. His paintings often begin with a desire to create a particular atmosphere through the use of artificial lighting. Kelly's website shows three fascinating videos which provide an insight into modern day painting techniques. The subjects are David Nish former CEO of Standard Life, General Sir Mike Jackson and "The Herat Room". The latter is an extraordinary short film about the thirteen months it took to complete a commission for the war in Afghanistan. The film reveals why Kelly is already a celebrated artist and why there's little doubt that that his star will continue to rise. brendankellyartist.co.uk/video