Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Dunham.
Hi Kelly, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started out probably like most artists by taking weekend art classes as a little kid to let out some creativity (and get me out of the house). I really enjoyed it, so I kept attending classes until I graduated high school. Instead of weekend classes now, I was now going to art school! Having taken stagecraft for a theater class, I was really intrigued by set design and construction, so I majored in Production Design with a concentration in Set Design at SCAD in Savannah, GA.
Since graduation, I have worked on a few film and television productions whilst also making and selling art on the side. After getting married, I’ve since taken a hiatus in film and tv and have solely been focusing on making and selling art. I now am selling in a few local stores which have been so exciting for me!
I also have taken commissions here and there of houses, portraits, pets, and some other miscellaneous subjects. This has been a really thrilling journey for me, and I’m excited about what is to come!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Personally, for me, this has not been a smooth road. You grow up hearing about starving artists out of college living in a small apartments because rent is too expensive etc., and it really forms a picture in your mind whether you want it to or not.
I tried to mentally prepare myself for that mindset, and have partly lived in a way where I could save as much money as I could. I would paint sitting on my floor at night with just a small table lamp, and there are many occasions when I just had no motivation and no inspiration. Those are the hardest moments when you want to be creating but have nothing in your brain.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a local watercolor artist in Savannah and a SCAD graduate. I paint various subjects such as houses, portraits, pets, and, on occasion, other miscellaneous subjects. Although I mostly paint in watercolor, I have also occasionally done a few graphite portraits.
One of my favorite graphite drawings I’ve done so far is of a baby. It was a project done for a class, and I gifted it to the baby’s parents who were friends of mine. One of my favorite watercolor paintings is of a grandparent, who was a pastor, holding his granddaughter after her baptism. It was an emotional and personal painting for me and his family, and it’ll be one that I will never forget.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
One of my favorite parts about Savannah is the nature that’s embedded in the city especially downtown. Coming from LA county, we had trees of course, but they were not considered a part of the “landscaping”. Here in Savannah, the oak trees, flowers, bushes, and even the grass are taken care of well because they are considered to be an important part of what makes Savannah Savannah. Something about the environment is just magical.
One of my least favorite parts is the division that is seen less on the surface. Savannah is beautiful and has beautiful neighborhoods across the city, but there are streets where once you cross them, you can immediately see a stark difference.
There are stores that are visited mostly by one group; churches are dominated by one group. It’s really hard to put my finger on it, but there is a division in Savannah. I haven’t been here long, so I can’t say what is wrong and what is not wrong, but I would love to see Savannah and its people more unified one day.
Pricing:
- 8×10 starts at $75
- 9×12 starts at $90
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.waterusagi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waterusagiart/?hl=en
