JEN KELLER ART

Hello friends! Well, it is a strange time to be an artist. Frankly, it’s a strange time to be alive. Who knew when our kids were sent home from school in March, and we all hunkered down in our homes, this adventure would last this long. So here we are... I will be honest, I have been fortunate during this time. This lockdown has presented its challenges and it hasn't been easy for anyone. But as Helen Keller would say, "If you keep your face towards the sunshine you cannot see the shadow."  I'd love to share with you the work I've been able to do during this unprecedented time.  Work with Aurora Public Art COVID-19 PSA Signage Design My first opportunity came when I submitted a design for Aurora Public Art’s PSA Covid-19 Awareness Signs designed to bring encouragement to the community. I was so excited to get a chance to be involved with a local project here in Aurora. During the spring and summer you could see the 13 designs that were selected on election-size bo...

It's hard to believe that 2018 has already whizzed by and here we are in 2019! The rest of the year was a whirlwind of change, challenges, and fun in our house. Alley Art Festival - Aurora, IL I decided to get out of the studio and into the public by trying my first series of artisan markets and events. I really enjoyed chatting with customers about my work and getting feedback. It was fascinating to see what people were drawn to and what they wanted to see. I don’t think I could have gotten such great insight to my clients in any other way. Heritage Prairie Farm Artisan Craft and Food Fair - Elburn, IL  During the summer, I participated in the Batavia Artisan Collective and The Alley Art Festival . Being in an outdoor venue is not without its challenges (wind, rain, extreme heat!) but each show my booth grew and changed. I loved figuring out the best way to feature my work. These shows were so much fun I continued throughout the fall and winter, partaki...

Hello Friends! Last time I wrote it was a very difficult time. Thanks to everyone who contacted me and showed me so much support after losing my muse and best furry friend. We still miss her but as the expression goes "life goes on"... and so it does. Things have been quite busy over this last year. Since starting the role as Art Director at Fox River Academy of Music and Art last summer, I have done a real push in marketing and we have seen quite an increase in participation! I'm so proud to be a part of a facility that brings unique art education to kids and adults in the area. This past year my Manga and Comic workshops have been very popular as well as traditional drawing. All of the instructors have been doing great.  We have some really fun and exciting summer camps to offer this year as well! If you are interested please check out the upcoming schedule: Summer Camps and Workshops . Clever Student Sketchbook Covers I'm also happy to report that our sket...

My apologies... I seem to have let my blog slip by during the spring and summer months. It's been a very busy season including teaching many art workshops, summer camps, and being promoted to the Art Director at Fox River Academy. As far as my work is going I have been full steam ahead. "Tennis Ball!",  Mixed Media, 2006 However the month of July took my breath away. My beautiful, sweet, smart, and loyal muse, Mattie the Border Collie, crossed over the rainbow bridge after giving me 13 years of joy (I had adopted her when she was only one year old).  Many of you knew her personally and others of you felt like you knew her from my work. Starting with my first Spring Show at the Academy of Art to being the main character in my thesis, Mattie was not only a fixture in my life but the inspiration for countless works of art. There is really something special about drawing someone you love.  It is a way to get to know them in a whole different way. I have put together a ...

This past few months have been pretty busy, between my workshops, creating new work, and some personal fun (Go Cubs!)... It's been a busy fall! A few weeks ago I was lucky to participate in my first Artisan and Craft Show.  It was so much fun and I got to meet quite a few great local artists...including another mom from my daughter's preschool.  I received some wonderful feedback on my work and some lucky folks walked home with some Jen Keller Art Cards and Keller Kiddo Designs Prints . I need to give a special shout out to the Coordinators at the Trees and Treasures Craft Show at the Wesley UMC here in Aurora for running everything so smoothly and even providing childcare for my little one. It was really a fun day and I hope to participate in more shows in the future.  I also have a few fun new pieces in progress right now and I hope to launch them before the holidays. Here's a sneak preview --  Follow JenKellerArt on Instagram to ...

Wow! Summer seemed to just fly by. With my daughter home from school we had a great time playing, traveling, and relaxing.  I'm so excited for the fall, however, and all of the new things that are happening... Labor Day weekend I kicked off a series of Illustration workshops being offered at The Fox River Academy of Music and Art.  We started with a basic Character Design workshop where the students learned how to create a character using basic visual storytelling techniques.  Since it was the first workshop I allowed the kids to work in any style they were comfortable with and let them design any character they wanted.  We ended up with some tough Manga/Anime girls and a nomadic canine. These kids did great! In future workshops we will focus on many different genres in the Character Design world, as well as doing some Creature Design, Children's Book Illustration, and Decorative/Greeting Card Artwork. Check out this great list of workshops in The Academy's mos...

It's been a busy and exciting start to the summer... First of all I'm so happy to announce my local gallery debut! I was thrilled to be able to participate in this month's First Fridays right here in my own backyard. The local gallery, If These Walls Could Talk , contacted me about participating in their June Group Show, The "J" Show , featuring artists with the first letter "J" in their name.  They did a beautiful job of hanging my work and displaying my prints for sale.  If you missed the big opening you can still come by the gallery and see my work. The show will be up until June 29th.  Don't miss it! Gallery Opening with my Biggest Little Fan!  I also have a two new pieces in my Keller Kiddo Designs art print line.  My first piece is from the "Playful Pups" Collection featuring a tiny and mighty Chihuahua and Dragonfly . Initially inspired by a friend who is a Chihuahua lover and just had a baby girl, I feel this piece speaks t...

I am so excited to announce that my new line of art prints, Keller Kiddo Designs , is officially for sale on my website!  Bringing this style to the forefront of my creative body of work is absolutely thrilling. The work is fun, whimsical, and stays true to my own style of illustration. Every piece starts with a hand drawn image. Then I ink it by hand and finish the artwork digitally by choosing a tight color palate. This gives it a modern flare that would look great in any nursery or children's room.  The combination of a hand drawn style with a graphic color scheme make these pieces very versatile, fitting into any type of room design ranging from a soft classic look to a more contemporary feel that you see all over the marketplace today. I have started with two small collections.  My first one is called "Starry Night" and features lovable animals cozying up under the stars and moon. The color scheme is very simple ranging from dark blue, yellow and ...