Kelly Wyly O'Donovan Bio

Kelly Wyly O’Donovan (b.1973) is a professional artist whose artwork resides in collections throughout the globe in private and corporate collections. She lives in Aspen, Colorado with her family and works out of a studio in her home.

Playful new-expressionist abstracts, whimsical stream of consciousness (called mind musings), and dreamy landscape paintings are indicative of O'Donovan's art. Unrestrained brushwork and strident colors are evident in most of Kelly’s works. The subject matter has a heightened degree of simplification as well as some abstraction of imagery. She believes these characteristics assist in conveying a strong statement of emotion to the viewer. The final work is an affirmation of the expressive potency of pure color and bold strokes. The inclusion of recognizable lyrics and words in some of her works further support the artist’s intended message to the observer. Most of Kelly’s paintings and ceramics are an illustrated declaration of her impression of memories, thoughts and emotions she has experienced. Notes of landscapes from her extensive travels and her daily life in Aspen are replayed and reworked in her pieces and often serve as a backdrop to further support and interpret her artistic message. 

All of Kelly’s ceramics were created in the South of France beginning with her studies there in 1997 at Atelier Sassi-Milici in Vallauris, France. She worked with ceramicists and potters Francis Milici and Dominique Sassi. Over the years Vallauris has become the “City of Potters” where tourists and art lovers from the four corners of the world visit its’ workshops that have attracted master ceramists such as Pablo Picasso and Jean Marais. Kelly found immense inspiration in the landscapes in and around the South of France.

Kelly Wyly O’Donovan was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Kelly’s mother, Rosemary Acton, was an artist as well, and encouraged her daughter to begin painting when she was a young child. She has been painting ever since she could hold a paintbrush in her hand.

Kelly studied fine art at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She studied under the tutelage of master ceramicists Francis Milici and Dominique Sassi for two years. Kelly is co-owner of Finbarr’s Irish Pub & Kitchen in Aspen, Colorado with her husband, Denis Finbarr O’Donovan. She is also co-owner of Elliott Yeary Gallery located in Aspen, Colorado where her ceramics and paintings are on permanent exhibit. Kelly’s ceramics are also on exhibit at Galerie Sassi-Milici in Vallauris, France.