We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelly Steller Hrad. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelly below.
Kelly, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents were amazing – I was truly blessed. Stretch and Shirley were always there for me, encouraged me to learn things, pushed me to try new things, made sure I got to all of the extracurricular activities that I enjoyed and some that I may not have but I now know they were good for me. My parents loved the arts, nature, and beautiful things so we were always going to the theater, driving mountain roads along rivers to collect rocks and lots of window shopping. We took countless driving trips in summers to national parks, museums, historical monuments and magnificent sights. After they passed and I was going through thousands of photos of these trips, it was almost like a hard drive had been rebooted – all those grand adventures and beautiful sites were refreshed and I draw on those memories as I paint. Looking back on all these adventures the one thing that always stood out in the photos was they were always holding hands or my hand – always loved and protected. I am so grateful for all my Daddy’s hard work to make so many things possible for all of us. He instilled his work ethic in me and that has always served me well, even more so now that I am self-employed. But the one thing that I think they did the best was loving one another through everything – they truly were a love story.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
I am a contemporary abstract painter who expresses my thoughts on canvas through multiple mediums from acrylic to three-dimensional oil and beyond. My artwork is an expression of life through color and line which captivates the eye with rich vivid layers. I feel my distinctive styles exude joy, peace and express a vibrant spirit that emanates off the canvas.
I paint in both acrylic and three-dimensional oil, meaning the paint is thick and layered creating a sculptural feel. Each canvas is like a page of my life’s journal. Growing up I took art classes and painted what I was told to paint or what my parents wanted to hang in our home. When I reconnected with painting 8 years ago and was staring at a blank canvas it was so cathartic to paint what I was feeling. As I continued to express my emotions and tell my life’s story on canvas my heart and mind opened, allowing me to share all of my feelings. I didn’t intend to start a business, but here I am. I said YES to a full-time commitment to create art-terrifying, but so amazing. It is so rewarding to hear a client say “this makes me so happy” when they see a piece for the first time. Being invited into clients’ homes is very personal and my mind begins to paint as soon as I pull in their driveway. I truly love getting to know the clients and incorporate their likes along with our connection into the commission paintings. The opportunity to create something unique is so exhilarating – whether it is creating an entire gallery wall, a mini Monet inspired painting, or a bright colorful piece for the Louis Vuitton Boutique at Legacy West. Each one is special; each one is a colorful page of my journal.
Art is all about the feelings for me as that is where it started. Art is a journey that takes a lifetime to create.
Art brings beauty to the community. Whether its music, dance, paintings, sculpture, photography, or nature doing its thing, art is truly all around. It is the community’s responsibility to pause and take it in, support and encourage. Take a moment to experience the art, feel the art, be the art. Art is created by the artist, but it takes the patron and the community to embrace, appreciate and discuss. No matter what type of art, the beauty comes from the soul of the artist. A soul that has experienced joy, sorrow, pain, love, laughter, starting over but most importantly that soul has taken a chance.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
When I was first invited to show some small pieces at a local gallery, I made the choice to start a separate business social media page. Facebook and Instagram have lots of great tools to make it easier to schedule, upload and engage the audience. We of course invited all our friends to follow along my journey. I took notice of what drew me in to other artists’ posts, took notes and started incorporating those ideas. Be your target audience, be authentic and real, use good pictures, short descriptions and sometimes great puns As I approached my first solo show in 2018, I saw the slow and steady progress pay off. The opening reception was beyond my wildest of wildest dreams. I know it wasn’t all from social media, but it certainly was a big help. Remember the cliché, it’s not what you know but who you know – social media is just a different platform to know people.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Great partnerships – partnership with God as my co-creator, quiet time, devotionals and reflection is where the day starts. Although painting is a solo gig, the rest of the art business takes community. My husband and pup as well as friends and family are great supporting partners. I know I would not be where I am today without them.
We are all stronger together – suppliers, canvas maker, other artist friends, framer and local venues like The ArtCentre of Plano make it easier for me to create relationships with clients. When all these stars align, I can create pieces that make people happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kellystellerhrad.com
- Instagram: @kellystellerhrad
- Facebook: @kellystellerhradart
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kellystellerhradart
Image Credits
Headshot – Kendrix Wesley