Best Advice From Sky Portrait Of The Year Contestant Kelly Frank
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In Conversation With Portrait Artist Kelly Frank
For our first artist talk, we had the pleasure of sitting down with freelance portrait artist Kelly Frank. Kelly is a South African born British painter whose portraits capture the stratified personalities of her sitters, focusing on the vulnerabilities of those who are willing to share.
In this talk, which forms part of our art club, Kelly discusses the three major points in her career, including the beginning of her transition into the world of art, her time on the Sky Portrait Artist of the Year and what it was like to be an artist who chose to pursue their passion later than most.
Although not officially starting her painting career until 2017, it was during her A-levels when Kelly discovered a love for portraiture. Her story touches on one that many of us share; the love, naivety, and freedom that one finds when embarking on their artistic journey. However, Kelly had a singular focus at that stage; to become an architect. It wouldn’t be until after graduating and spending a year in the industry that she realised architecture was not her passion. Instead, she invested time, experimented and spent an intensive 3-month semester at the Barcelona Academy of Art in 2016 to finally kick start her career as an artist.
As Kelly continued her practice, she found love in the concept of layering; a theme that still follows her today. Much of her work consists of finding hidden stories of domestic life, as she crosses the boundaries of the soul to share honest stories. Describing her outlook as that of “an experienced counsellor or therapist”, the desire to portray what cannot be seen is yet another theme within Frank’s work.
Michaela Coel, Kelly Frank
From this discovery, Kelly’s career began to skyrocket and she was chosen to appear on Sky’s popular TV show: Portrait Artist of the Year. Something Kelly touches upon in the intriguing talk is the communion she found during her experiences on the show. Whether it be enduring criticism that she had never faced about her work or making connections that she missed out on with other artists; she speaks about her experience with the confidence and knowledge of someone tenured through what she has faced.
If it’s through looking at her portraiture or her work throughout lockdown, you see that Kelly’s mindset and psychological approach are readily evident and honestly human as she describes the face behind her paintings.
The Key Take Away
Kelly Frank’s story is one that was realised through time and endurance. From being unsure of where to go with her practice, to the trials and tribulations of freelancing, something to take away from her talk is the power of putting your work and yourself out there as an artist and theorist. From architect to full-time artist, we learn that without risk, there is no reward.
Daniel, Kelly Frank
“People are a process in which they simultaneously reveal and hide themselves” – Kelly Frank.
To watch Kelly Frank’s talk and experience our conversations with artists like Feminist Internet and illustrator Nic Mac, join our Art Club. By becoming a member, you’ll gain access to a wealth of resources and opportunities from workshops to art nights, where artists are supported by a network of creative friends and like-minded individuals. If you take anything from Kelly’s talk, let it be that the creative journey is a difficult one to face on your own, so join us and be part of a creative community.
Where to find Kelly Frank:
Instagram: @kellyfrankart
Website: Ksfrank.com
Don’t forget you can always share your art with us! Become the next Artist of The Month or tag us on Instagram @darkyellowdot.
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