Jo Ridge Kelley

Jo Ridge Kelley’s intimate connection with nature was nurtured by the day-to-day milieu of the dairy farm where she grew up in High Point, NC. Grabbing a sketchbook and sitting in a meadow or beside a creek, drawing trees, rocks, and wildflowers, provided a respite from her daily chores. Art making offered Kelley an exciting creative outlet and brought her welcome praise from family, teachers, and friends. 

She continued this artistic journey studying drawing and painting at UNC-Charlotte and graduated with a Creative Arts degree. After college, she taught art at the high school level for several years and continues today to conduct annual private workshops. 

Jo says, “I have only a desire to paint what is my own - wholly and completely from within - along with the offerings of the earth and her daily miracles of color and light. When I begin a painting, I take inspiration from a beautiful light, color, form, or texture and then continue working through observation.  I often end up choosing exaggerated and unexpected color relationships and compositions that reflect my emotional response more so than what I'm seeing in front of me.”

The paintings of Jo Ridge Kelley are held in many private and corporate collections throughout the country and across the globe. Her work has been featured in Art Galleries and Artists of the South,, American Art Collector magazine, Artist Focus page, and many others.