A Northern California native, Jay Kelly has lived and worked in Venice for more than a decade. Kelly began his career in graphic design, yet quickly emerged as a notable fine artist with his unique style of creating life-like portrait collages out of books, photos and magazines. In recent years, he has produced a series of large-scale mixed media pieces featuring a combination of his photography paired with found imagery and text. His work showcases his many influences and passions, ranging from music and surfing to his fascination with the grittier side of urban landscapes, resulting in a careful blend of classic beauty and modern life.

Kelly has attracted the attention of collectors around the world with solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, Aspen and Miami, and is also represented by galleries in Park City, throughout Germany and in the Netherlands. His work has been featured in television shows and feature films, including the cult classic “Donnie Darko,” as well as in restaurants and bars in Los Angeles and New York. He also creates a steady stream of commissioned work for private and corporate clients.

born
1975, Walnut Creek, California

education
1997, B.A. University of California, Los Angeles