A piece by Jeff “Skele” Sheely. Courtesy photo.
Jeff “Skele” Sheely, an artist currently based in Austin, is yet again showing his work at Kettle Art Gallery in Deep Ellum.
The opening reception for “Loose Ends” with Sheely and special guest Erik Ross will take place 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 11.
Sheely’s work is instantly recognizable by his bold use of color and uncanny take on faces — think big eyes and fully-displayed teeth. On his website, Sheely describes his artistic style as “neo-expressionist.”
“He loves working in various mediums, but primarily layers spray paint, house paint and oil pastels for his works on canvas and wood panels,” according to his bio. “He has also dabbled in digital art, like t-shirt designs and stop-motion animation, wood sculptures, and multi-layer cutout pieces coated in resin. Recently, he has developed an interest in creating light fixtures.”
And Sheely is no stranger to Kettle Art, which gave him his first gallery exhibition opportunity in 2015, back when he lived in Dallas.
A piece by Erik Ross. Courtesy photo.
Ross is also based in Austin and, like Sheely, highlights eyes in his work, though his pieces are more abstract than Sheely’s. Using acrylics, aerosols and inks, the faces he creates (if they can even be called that) are made up of colorblocked shapes. Two eyes that are different from each other in either color or size are placed irregularly, usually with one lower than the other.
“His work often explores metaphorical portraiture, reflecting on themes of identity, personal evolution and the figurative ‘masks’ people wear,” according to his bio. “A proud Texas native, Ross draws inspiration from everyday human experience and the emotional layers that shape it.”
“Loose Ends” runs through the end of May.
