Contemporary Arts

Tracking fellows: Jeff Kellar

The following is taken from an interview with the artist


	"Box #20" by Jeff Kellar. Resin, Clay and Pigment on MDF; Red. 5" x 7.5" x 8". 2003.

Jeff, you received an Individual Artist Fellowship award from the Maine Arts Commission in 1996. What did that award mean to you in terms of recognition, and did it serve to move your artistry forward?

"Yes it helped. Combined with some significant shows, including one at the Portland Museum of Art, it helped to build momentum. Living in Maine is important to my work. An integrated life is an ideal to which I aspire. At the beginning of my career, I rarely showed in Maine. When I started showing regularly in Maine, I realized what I had been missing. The Fellowship was important in the same way - it provided local support. In the best of all worlds, support starts with friends and family and your community."

Is it important to you as an artist to live in Maine? Why?

"In my studio, I turn inward. When I look up from my work, I am in Maine - very good."

What are the marketing difficulties facing an artist who chooses to live and work in a rural state?


	"2:25" by Jeff Kellar. Resin, Clay and Pigment on canvas. 61" x 52". 2003.

"There are not that many art buyers in the world, much less in Maine. You need to make an effort to put your work in front of as large an audience as possible. Obviously, to survive you need to have many people see your work. An artist has to find a community of like-minded souls. The type of work that you do as well as the population density of where you live determines how far you must look to find your community. I am lucky that I have an excellent gallery in Maine, Icon Contemporary Art, in Brunswick."

What have been your significant advancements and achievements since receiving the Fellowship award?

"I've been very fortunate to find three excellent galleries that share my philosophy about art and are very supportive of my work. Soon after receiving the fellowship, I started showing in Philadelphia at Gallery Joe. I had my third solo show there in November 2002, with a catalog and a review in Sculpture magazine.

I now also show at the Richard Levy Gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I had a solo show in September 2003, also with a catalog. These galleries show my work at international art fairs in San Francisco, Chicago and New York. This increased exposure has in turn brought me other shows. I was just included in an interesting show, "Painting By Design" at Wayne State University in Detroit.