NICOLE KELLY

Extract from the longer film.
Music by Soundstripe

NICOLE KELLY

ARTIST

Bundanon, NSW, Australia

The first time I met Nicole Kelly, I bumped into her (quite literally) at my local art gallery: The Hazelhurst Art Center in Gymea, 10 minutes’ drive from my house. I had come to admire, support and congratulate my friend, French painter Caroline McIntyre, for her exhibition opening. I was a bit star struck when I realised it was THE Nicole Kelly, and in a daring move, I offered my services as a photographer and filmmaker. I never do that! Read More

Photos I took at the Bundanon retreat.

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I’m glad I did! And I should do it more often. Since that day, Nicole and I have thought of many ways to collaborate and it’s been a joy to create visual stories together. One of the projects we’re working on is a series of photos and a film to show the teaching part of her busy artist life: her In the field artist workshops. The film is in the making and I will either add it here when it’s finished or create a new journal article. What you see above is only a teaser. Nicole and her wife Lauren organise regular workshops gathering keen beginners to talented professional artists for a few days “en plein air” or in the field. Usually taking place on the east coast of Australia, often in a remote location or a prestigious art hub like Bundanon (photos above). It has been incredibly successful.

The documentarian in me had to ask participants why they came and what they get from it. Most came first to get away for a few days, focus on their art, away from a busy life at home. What they really loved was the mix of in-depth demos and Q&As covering composition, paint types, colour palettes, brush types and techniques; but also the moments alone, in nature, experimenting without any pressure or judgement and a regular personal visit from Nicole, giving tips and ideas to elevate their work. The cherry on the literal cake is Lauren’s cooking: a riot of flavours and colours.

The success of these gatherings comes first and foremost from Nicole’s incredible teaching skills. Of course, she’s been the recipient of great teaching at the prestigious Australian National Art School in Sydney. She also won the thought-after Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship and several art residencies allowing her to acquire a true expertise and self knowledge. But what makes it exceptional is her generosity, her ability to put herself is her students’ shoes and explain techniques and concepts in the most comprehensive and comprehensible way. She even keeps a slot of her planning for one-on-one mentoring. Passing on her passion is a big part of her art practice and life choice.

While travelling in Europe with Lauren and their newborn baby boy, going from art residency to site seeing, Nicole very kindly accepted to answer questions from my interview below. As a result I went into a few artistic rabbit holes, following her lead in discovering artists I didn’t know. Please come follow along! I hope you enjoy it!

Connect with Nicole

@nk_nk | nicolerenaekelly.com | inthefieldartistworkshops.com

INTERVIEW

An exhibition rather than an artwork. Bill Henson: Three Decades of Photography at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2005. One of the first exhibitions I’d seen, possibly the first time I'd walked into the AGNSW and the impact was so enormous it set me on a path of making art (photography at the time) and the reason I decided to go to Art School. In that exhibition I experienced the longing inherent in the act of looking and knew I wanted my work in galleries to move others with my work.
No, I entered NAS on my photography and picked up a paintbrush for the first time in the painting rotation in year 1 of the degree in 2006. Painting was pure torutre for the full rotation excluding the last day when I discovered the way Cezanne used paint. This discovery excited me beyond anything else and I took a gamble on that feeling and elected painting to major in.
Flew my now wife to Spain to meet me while I was on residency after only knowing her 2 months.
Our 4 month old baby Elio
Winning the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship the week of my 21st birthday
Art! Sculpture, painting and photographs. And books - novels, art books and cookbooks.
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Farewell, my queen
Claire Tabouret, Mamma Andersson, Peter Doig
Too many! Here's 2: Emma Itzstein & Courtney Young.
Between France and Australia
Solo show with Arthouse Gallery in June 2024