John KELLY Framed Art Print ROYAL HAWAIIAN Hotel MENU COVER 14x17” NEW

Description: If you have an image of 1920s-50s Hawaii as a lush, remote paradise peopled by Gauguin-esque beauties, you have probably been influenced by the work of John Kelly. Born in 1878, Kelly attended art school in San Francisco and worked as an illustrator for the S.F. Examiner for many years. Offered a year-long freelance job in Hawaii creating promotional materials for a hotel chain, Kelly and his sculptor wife, Kate , took the gamble, fell hard for the islands and never returned. In tribute to his beloved new home, Kelly created an unforgettable body of work that helped define the unique paradise in the eyes of the world. An outstanding aspect of Kelly's work are the colored etchings he created as menu covers for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Often featuring a statuesque female native, the masterful etchings utilized rich, brilliantly handled color, and combined Kelly's years of illustration experience, his passion for the subject and the deep knowledge Kate shared with her husband after studying graphics at the University of Hawaii. The print on offer is a contemporary reproduction of one of these iconic designs. I bought it new in cellophane and framed it ( tastefully, I think! ) in an understated Pottery Barn frame. The reverse has a short artist bio attached. Both piece and frame are in EUC, and the frame offers both an easel backing and hanging loops. The image is roughly 8 x 10" and the piece measures 17 X 14 " overall. Stunning, nostalgic piece brings gravitas and atmosphere to your collection or display. Artwork ships USPS Ground Advantage from Los Angeles. *** Additional biographical and historical info about the artist can be found here: John Melville Kelly (1878-1962) was born in Arizona and his early life included prize fighting. He studied at the Partington Art School in San Francisco where he met his wife Katherine “Kate” (1882-1964), a sculptor and printmaker. They were married in 1908. After being a staff artist for the San Francisco Examiner for 14 years, Kelly came to Hawaii in 1923 to work with an advertising firm for a year. He and his wife decided to stay after developing a strong connection to the islands. Kate Kelly took an etching class from Huc Luquiens at the University of Hawaii and taught her husband the basics of etching on copper plates. He expanded his printmaking repertoire to include drypoint and aquatint. His techniques included meticulous craftsmanship, complex color registration and controlled aquatint gradations. He was a prolific artist and shared his knowledge with others. Kelly was a master draftsman and produced etchings and aquatints depicting Polynesians and beautiful images of the landscape. He played a key role in creating the idyllic image of Hawaii prevalent in the 1930s and 1940s. In his work, he used people he knew as models and captured romanticized island lifestyles. His art is testimony to his deep appreciation to the culture and people of Hawaii from the 1930s through the 1950s. He is also known for his menu covers, commissioned by the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in the early days of tourism in the Territory. Because Kate Kelly’s eyesight was failing, she gave up her art career in the mid-1930s and devoted herself to promoting her husband’s career by skillfully marketing his work. Part of that was selling his work in Waikiki and sometimes bringing buyers back to the Kelly home at Black Point. Along with others, Kelly was a founding member of the Honolulu Printmakers in 1928. The organization honored him in 1934 and 1953 by selecting him to create the member gift print that accompanies their annual exhibition. His works are in the collections of the National Galleries, the Fogg Museum, the New York Public Library, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, the Hawaii State Art Museum and others. An extensive collection is in the Honolulu Museum of Art which has held two significant Kelly exhibitions. One was in 1962 to commemorate his life and work. The other was in 2005, a retrospective of over 250 etchings, his printing press and tools, and a video presentation. ***https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/arts-culture/2019-05-28/john-kelly-why-do-these-images-still-look-so-good

Price: 55 USD

Location: Los Angeles, California

End Time: 2025-01-22T19:30:58.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD