- Story by Laura Langston Photography by Don Denton
When Kelly Corbett was eight years old, her mother enrolled her in art lessons. For the shy little girl, it was a big push out of her comfort zone. Unbeknown to Kelly and her mother, however, it was a push towards Kelly乌鸦传媒檚 future.
乌鸦传媒淚 was always drawing, always crafting, and Mom wanted to nurture that,乌鸦传媒� Kelly says. 乌鸦传媒淚 ended up staying with the same instructor until I was in university.乌鸦传媒�
Today, the 43-year-old Nanoose Bay artist is garnering attention for beautiful and realistic paintings featuring the stunning landscapes and wildlife of Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley. While her mother started her down the artistic path, it was her father who helped her foster a love for her subject matter.
乌鸦传媒淲e always went camping or hiking or boating as a family, and we still take annual week-long family kayaking trips together,乌鸦传媒� Kelly says. 乌鸦传媒淏eing in nature inspires my art.乌鸦传媒�
Born and raised in Chilliwack, Kelly originally wanted to be a marine biologist, but her distaste for chemistry and physics ruled out that career. 乌鸦传媒淪o, I decided to follow my talent.乌鸦传媒�
After graduating with a Fine Arts Diploma from University of the Fraser Valley and a Diploma of Photography from the Western Academy of Photography, Kelly became a professional photographer. She pursued that passion for the next 14 years, though she always found time to paint or draw. It wasn乌鸦传媒檛 until 2014, however, when Kelly moved to the Okanagan with her partner, Joe, that painting became the sole focus of her professional life.
Soon after arriving, Kelly went into the Lloyd Gallery in Penticton to get one of her pen-and-ink drawings framed. She mentioned she was looking for work. Impressed with the detail in her drawing and needing someone on staff who had a meticulous eye, the gallery offered her a job.
After a few months, Kelly worked up the courage to ask her boss if she could show her work in the gallery.
乌鸦传媒淪he wasn乌鸦传媒檛 sure if I could paint enough to be a gallery artist,乌鸦传媒� Kelly remembers. 乌鸦传媒淚 took that as a challenge and decided to try.乌鸦传媒�
Her boss eventually agreed to display a few of Kelly乌鸦传媒檚 pieces on the back wall near the framing area where there wasn乌鸦传媒檛 much traffic. That first year, Kelly sold 12 paintings. Spurred by her success, Kelly asked if she could display some of her work in the main part of the gallery. In the second year, Kelly sold 36 paintings.
She went on to approach a new gallery every year and she乌鸦传媒檚 now represented by six galleries, including the Mark Penny Gallery in Ucluelet, the Village Gallery in Sidney and the McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville, where she乌鸦传媒檚 also the artist in residence every Friday from 10 am until 3 pm.
Kelly乌鸦传媒檚 work has a strong sense of place. She draws deeply from her surroundings, and she especially loves Vancouver Island. She and Joe moved to Nanoose Bay in 2018, but the year prior she was on the island five times, drawn back by her love of the ocean, the big mossy trees, and her best friend in Errington.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been lucky enough to travel to many different places, but there乌鸦传媒檚 an endless amount to see at home, and I only want to explore and paint BC now,乌鸦传媒� Kelly says. 乌鸦传媒淚 am rooted here.乌鸦传媒�
Kelly paints every day. Her chosen medium is acrylic on canvas. She doesn乌鸦传媒檛 have the patience for oils (they take too long to dry) and while she started out using watercolour, she prefers acrylics because she can paint over them. Her self-described method is thin, watery layers that mimic watercolour.
The artist loves large canvases because they look so impressive. Whether it乌鸦传媒檚 large canvases of the majestic west coast, or her smaller pieces featuring quail or other BC birds, Kelly乌鸦传媒檚 attention to detail is evident in everything she paints. She has an eye for beauty and a particular talent for capturing the play of light as it dances off the water or filters through the leaves of the trees.
Passion for her art makes it easy for Kelly to go weeks without a break, particularly when the weather is poor. In the spring and summer, however, she乌鸦传媒檚 off hiking or kayaking almost every weekend, capturing interesting reference images for future paintings. She plans what she calls her adventure calendar at the beginning of every year. Telegraph Cove and Desolation Sound are on the list for 2020, as is seeing more of northern Vancouver Island in general.
Also in the works for 2020 are solo exhibitions in Parksville in February, Peachland in May and Qualicum Beach in September. And if you乌鸦传媒檙e passing through Victoria International Airport between now and mid-January, look for Kelly乌鸦传媒檚 art on display there.
Kelly has come a long way since starting art lessons all those years ago. But those early efforts aren乌鸦传媒檛 forgotten.
乌鸦传媒淢om still has paintings on her wall I did when I was 12,乌鸦传媒� Kelly says with a smile. 乌鸦传媒淎nd they乌鸦传媒檙e actually pretty good.乌鸦传媒�
For more information on Kelly Corbett乌鸦传媒檚 art, visit her website:
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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