Kelly Gallaher Greene
The beauty of nature in all its forms has always called to me. It’s where I feel most at home. Painting landscapes brings me closer to a feeling of peace and serenity.
I was born in Vermont, but spent most of my early years in a tiny country town northeast of San Diego. There I was allowed to run free, with my dogs and two older brothers, in the seemingly endless hills surrounding our home. I followed rabbit trails down long winding tunnels, through thick undergrowth, scrambling up giant rocks and climbing all kinds of trees. Mother would call us to dinner with a large school bell that could be heard for miles. We all came running as fast as our feet carried us. My love for, and kinship with nature was born in those hills of my childhood, and coming to Ojai in 1998 brought me full circle. I came back to my roots in this small town cradled within the majestic Topa Topa mountains. Every day I walk the trails of Ojai, inspired and surrounded by beauty.
Before I found Ojai, though, my years were spent in the LA area. I worked with my family in our furniture finishing business. My aunt had founded it in the early 20th century, and my mother had continued when her sister retired. My brothers and I soon joined her. I loved working at the shop, since I had a paintbrush in my hand every day for nearly twenty years. Best of all, I was near my beloved mother, an artist in her own right who taught me the skills of painted and antique finishes. My experience in the family business gave me a strong work ethic, as well as pride and precision in my workmanship. Our shop earned a reputation as the finest in its field in the LA area. Many of the top decorators in the business were our clients.
As a single parent during those years, I raised two beautiful daughters, and managed as well to study at the Otis Institute of Art. Here in Ojai I was fortunate to be guided by the renowned artist Bert Collins, who taught me to work with pastels. Upon receiving a commission to paint a large landscape of the upper Ojai, I switched from pastels to oil paints, and am now enjoying the texture and flow of that medium.
I can honestly say that it feels like pure magic to start and finish a painting. The act of creating is a never-ending experience of challenge, concentration, frustration and joy. My painting is a meditation, and my experience of oneness is rediscovered in my brushwork, colors, and the subjects I study. I feel blessed and privileged to have this ability for expression in my life.
Connect With Me
For private showings, commissioned work inquiries, or questions about my art & furniture restoration, please contact me.