ARTISTIC PATH. Kelly grew up in the Colorado Rockies and Oregon and her designs reflect her love of nature and the outdoors. She is a self-taught metal artist living in the Columbia River Gorge, on the Oregon side. She has been creating art for more than 25 years for homes, gardens, and businesses. All of her work is handmade and mostly one-of-a-kind.

INSPIRATION AND PROCESS. Kelly is a metal artist who works with a plasma cutter and recycled materials to make one-of-a-kind designs such as her iconic vintage garden tools, metal wall hearts, and other sculptural and wall pieces. The feeling of vintage nostalgia or exuberance of feeling in her work contrasts beautifully with the hard and durable steel she works in. Kelly also welds and uses various other tools in creating her works.

According to Kelly, “It’s like drawing with fire — at 30,000 degrees Fahrenheit — with a very small, sharp flame.”

LIFE AS A GORGE ARTIST. From Kelly: “Being an outdoor sports enthusiast and gardener, my appreciation of nature is abundant, and that’s what the Gorge is all about. I believe strongly in the practice of keeping our earth healthy and uncluttered so I use primarily recycled materials in my work. My favorite part of the process is going through scrap yards, sifting through piles of metal and finding that special treasure that I know will transform into a work of art.”