John and Kate lived far from the city, near an active fishing community where they became close friends with many of their neighbors. Kate’s photographs skillfully capture the lives and culture of these communities in a rapidly changing world, while John immortalized their friends and acquaintances in his art. Kate, an accomplished sculptor and gifted photographer, created rare and highly treasured bronzed busts of Hawaiian people. Her photographs not only inspired many of John’s etchings but also offer profound insights into life in Hawaiʻi during those pivotal decades.
For many years, John worked as a graphic artist for newspapers before immersing himself in the medium of etching upon moving to Hawaii with his family. Through extensive exploration and experimentation, he developed techniques that earned him national recognition as a master etcher, with methods that remain unparalleled today. The collaboration between Kate and John reveals the hearts and souls of the Hawaiian people from the 1920s through the 1950s—a crucial period for Native land and culture. Their work preserves the resilience and spirit of a community determined to endure despite the loss of land and language.
This very special and unique pair of watercolor paintings, done in the 1950s, are never-before-seen works by John Melville Kelly that premiered at the Downtown Art Center exhibit in August 2021. They represent a wide range of ethnicities passing through Waikiki, in extraordinary detail and brilliant color. Each is 40” long. While the originals are not for sale, high-quality 10” x 20” giclee prints are available as a set for $300. Please contact kellyarthawaii@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing!
Spotlights
