shelly diana kennedy

Raised in Charleston, SC, with influences from across the south, Shelly declared her dream as a child to one day be an artist. From the time she picked up her first crayon, she has loved all things art and excelled in it. With her Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts from Francis Marion University and a concentration in painting, experience working and teaching in a gallery and afterschool programs, and participation in multiple juried shows including Spoleto Festival, her portfolio continues to expand. Shelly now resides in Columbia, SC, pursuing her passion full-time.

Marked by Georgia O’Keefe’s giant florals, Shelly adores painting flowers with bold color and a realistic approach. Although tedious and time-consuming, she pays close attention to detail to create her realistic style. She also enjoys portraiture and has fulfilled commissioned portraits of not only people but beloved pets. Shelly works in a variety of media, including oils, acrylics, pencil, charcoal, pastel, pen & ink, and even developed a watercolor technique using water-soluble colored pencils in which many of her floral paintings are created. Most of Shelly’s paintings are produced using her own photography as references, another side of her artistic endeavors. The possibilities are truly endless.

"I found I could say things with color and shape that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for." -Georgia O'Keefe