For Mike Kelly, painting is about resistance and persistence. Each painting goes through a series of changes and refinements that may take days or months and evolves from a combination of direct observation, photo reference, memory, and most of all invention. He will tell you that the subject of a painting does not make it interesting as a work of art. For him, art must go beyond mere representation to provide the viewer with a concentrated version of reality. A landscape provides the inspiration, but Mike takes a visual journey of discovery that excites the senses where color is the primary focus and soul of his work. His color studies often lead to a series of the same subject, each variation evoking a different emotional response from the viewer. He comes by this process naturally and judiciously, which he learned throughout a long and successful career in graphic design and product packaging design.