Kelly says that he thinks of his collage form as similar to a DJ’s process of sampling parts of music and bits of sound to create a new song. The natural and urban worlds fuse, and time starts to overlap as images from different eras coexist and create new meaning in the juxtaposition of elements. A classic American car may park next to sheet music, chickadees, and mid-century motel signage, while in another piece, vintage Vogue models may be paired with aspen trees and found love letters, all under a silky gloss of resin. “I chose to paint with paper and various printed materials in order to achieve a unique depth in my work. By allowing the viewer to first see a complete, near photorealistic image from a distance, and then, upon a closer look, to explore the many individual textures and bits of text, I am able to add layers of meaning to each piece. I love the effect that thousands of little bits of paper, all taken out of context, come together to create something new. I feel art should inspire, transport, and hopefully awe the viewer; that is certainly my intention with this series of collages.”