Do-it-all artist: Bracelets, shoes, purses — in her own style

“Second floor — ladies painted shoes, painted handbags, button bracelets, button watches, dresses made from tablecoths...”

Seeing artist Jane Kelly’s array of hand-embellished bracelets, shoes and purses is reminiscent of the mid-20th century elevator operators at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City, where items for each approaching level of the six-story department store were called out.

Kelly is an artist with her own whimsical style. Her home is a showroom for all she creates.

“I’m always doing something. My mother was an artist and painted. She taught me to sew and was a big influence in my life. I didn’t paint as a child, I sewed and embroidered.”

A professional singer, Kelly said it was while living in Santa Barbara, Calif., in the 1980s that she discovered how buttons could be arty.

“My mother had a button box and I started embellishing collars and sewing buttons to elastic to make bracelets. People started giving me buttons... I make watches and bracelets, even a cellphone bag to wear around my neck.”

She has a bracelet to go with every outfit she wears — and if she doesn’t she’ll easily make one. There are buttons of all sizes and shapes.

Some look more like beads than buttons. Some bracelets have a theme.

Beyond bracelets

What goes with Kelly’s bangly bracelets? Her snappy sneakers!

“About a year ago I had a pair of shabby sneakers and figured, Hmmmm... they’re canvas. Why not paint them!”

Using acrylics and glitter glue she has created a brand of shoes found nowhere else in the area. Or maybe anywhere.

So began a new niche and Kelly’s colorful closet now has nine pairs of perky painted sneakers and clogs neatly lined up making this colorful closet another work of art.

Beyond button bracelets and painted sneakers she took old handbags, painted them and gave them new life and a new look.

This is all the Jane Kelly Brand not found in shops anywhere.

She’s also made a lounging dress from an old tablecloth and one from towels.

As a winter resident, Kelly moved to Green Valley from Illinois in 2007.

Previously she spent some winters in Florida. It was during the winter of 2004 that she turned to painting.

“I had a wonderful teacher who encouraged me... I worked with watercolors and acrylics. The teacher described my style of painting as ‘far-out expressionism’ because of my use of color and the finite detail in my inking process.”

Today, Kelly works more with acrylics and alcohol inks. She’s also an encaustic artist and uses a quilting iron to melt Crayola crayons to create a varied mix of art.

From a vibrant still life of purple-blue irises on a yellow background to stand-out abstracts her far-out expressionism is most evident in the variety of faces she paints.

Using sparkly beads for a necklace and painting the face of one far-out expressionistic woman yellow, Kelly added more sparkly beads to the background.

It’s a totally unusual and creative piece of art that shouldn’t “work” — but it does.

What’s next?

A member of the Santa Rita Art League, Kelly said the artists who belong are like family to her.

“It’s a community of artists who share ideas, are generous in their support of each other and it’s a pleasure to be with them.

“I feel so lucky to have found art at this stage of my life, and it’s so much fun to paint and create something that’s all your very own. I feel very lucky to have these talented artists in my life.”

Kelly will be part of the Sixth Annual Briggs Annual Abstract Competition at the Desert Hills Social Center Feb. 21-22.

Contact Green Valley freelance reporter Ellen Sussman at ellen2414@cox.net.