INSPIRATION AND SERENITY
INSPIRATION AND SERENITY
Through abstract landscape photography
My name is Kelly, aka E. Kelly O’Neal, and I’m an abstract landscape photographer who loves to travel & capture the beauty of the world. As a kid, I’d be the one combing the beach for shark’s teeth and shells and wandering the woods in search of pretty leaves and bunny rabbits. I spent years studying how cool our planet is as a geographer, and have always loved travelling: national parks were an early favorite, with Cape Cod, Italy, Hawaii, California, and the Oregon Coast capturing my heart along the way.
Photography began as a way to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors when I wasn't there. Do you know how awesome the earth is?! As I took photography workshops with some real cool cats I became discouraged by how everyone ends up with the same photos. Tripod legs here, this lens, point that direction–no thanks. I wanted to create something unique, so I started experimenting and fell in love with this camera movement. After years as a professional ice cream nerd, I now live in Burlington, Vermont, missing my dog & beloved former photographic assistant Teddy Bear (Rest in Play, my love). I love watching sunsets over Lake Champlain, and capturing the soul of place during my travels. It’s perfection – I’ve created a job where I get to wander outside searching for beauty. And I love sharing this journey, and the beautiful things I find, with you, my customers.
Art should be beautiful. More deep breaths would make the world a better place. The Oxford Comma is necessary. Sunsets are the best time of day. Your walls deserve to be decorated. Taming the chaos is essential, and elusive. There is never too much chocolate or whiskey. There is never enough quiet. You deserve some beauty in your life.
I HOPE YOU FIND INSPIRATION AND SERENITY HERE
Anyone notice that artist statements can feel like pure drudgery? Reading them is like slogging through a medieval history textbook, with high-falutin words nobody understands. “Over here, we have the corporal formations of lucidity within a framework of post-modern ghostism with broad strokes speaking to the irrelevance of modern constructionism.”
UGH. Stop the madness.
Art is supposed to be fun and beautiful. It should bring delight to your life… both as the artist and as the observer.
Why do I create this work? Because I wanna.
Because… the world we exist in has kind of gone off the rails, right? My art is a tiny bit of the antidote to this world. For my own sanity…walking on the beach, creating something truly unique and beautiful that reminds me that sunsets and beaches and trees and water are the best. While strolling outside and playing with my dog. Can you think of anything better?
And, I like to think that the calm, joy, and playfulness I inhabit while I create this work comes flowing out of the artwork so you can enjoy it too. You may not be able to take a walk on the beach today, but I can give you a taste of this peace and beauty that you can keep on your walls. So you can remind yourself to take a few deep breaths while Bob from accounting explains the umpteenth new “feature” of the new nano-vacuum counting software. I offer to you this little escape.
Because I want to: that is enough. Because it is fun, because it brings me joy.
May you find more joy and beauty today.