Artist Kelly Reark

Announcement! The World's Richest Tarpon Tournament artwork "Silver Lining" is available as a signed poster at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce starting today! To purchase poster art, Tervis tumblers, or sport fishing shirts, visit  https:// bocagrandechamber.com/  or call 941-964-0620. I am also releasing a limited edition of the fine art (no tournament text). There are just a few pieces on display throughout Boca Grande and I am taking orders through June 14 to fill before Father's Day. Orders reserved after June 14 will not be available to pickup before Father's Day. Reply to this email with questions or to request an artwork reservation.  The original painting is 36x48 inches. The original is available, framed ($6,000). A special edition giclée on canvas, remarked (painted on), of 10 pieces signed and numbered, in size 30x40 will be sold framed or gallery-wrapped for $900. A limited edition of 50 signed and numbered pieces in size 30x40 will be sold fr...

Sardine Slammers is one of the first paintings my husband Dave watched me paint from start to finish. The ultramarine and cobalt blue is so saturated in this painting that I stopped production of the print edition after the proofs were made. A printer cannot replicate it. The image here does not fully capture the color of this work. It is a one-of-a-kind that you have to see in person to appreciate! Artist Kelly Reark  www.KellyReark.com  www.TattooedTarpon.com

Boca Grande Lady is one of my favorite surrealist pieces and the first painting I did specifically for the Boca Grande "Ladies Day" fishing tournament. The softness of that hibiscus flower with the tarpon and the sepia tones together make the perfect masculine and feminine mix. This one looks great in any office or room that has wood accents. Artist Kelly Reark   www.KellyReark.com   www.KellyReark.FRIOicechests.com   www.TattooedTarpon.com

Click the photo or copy and paste  http://www.magazinevolume.com/33923BB/page_1.html  to read the latest Gasparilla Magazine article from August 2020 called "Flesh and Bone". The article starts on page 54 with a few kindred artists who also work with the art of taxidermy. Call or email me if you'd like me to mail a copy to you. Artist Kelly Reark   www.KellyReark.com   www.KellyReark.FRIOicechests.com   www.TattooedTarpon.com

Click the image above to read my article in Half Past First Cast. (or copy and paste this:  https://www.halfpastfirstcast.com/blogstuff-we-like/g3f0y5zklt50guvr7lsake4veramnb?fbclid=IwAR0q4AZvOpKkW_lJZsfqfk7X1871niOMh4o74sReFfaQ4Z0sCEly3DMG6tI ) Artist Kelly Reark   www.KellyReark.com   www.KellyReark.FRIOicechests.com   www.TattooedTarpon.com

Anchored in Tradition is an acrylic on gesso board painting that I made in 2013 for the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament in Boca Grande. The tournament began because on Mother's Day weekend, guides would take their mother, wife, daughter, etc out into the Pass for a day of fishing. The ladies couldn't help it. An all-female field of anglers can be very competitive! That tradition continues to this day as an official live bait, catch-and-release tarpon tournament. Even with the drive to win gnawing at us, we also have a lot of memorable shenanigans in the Pass. Ladies, if you haven't fished this tournament, you should! Many of our past winners were first-timers. It's a very special tournament and one that my mom and I fished together for many, many years.  Artist Kelly Reark   www.KellyReark.com   www.KellyReark.FRIOicechests.com   www.TattooedTarpon.com

Do you want to donate to the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society?  Great! Do you want to own my artwork?  Great! Now you can do both at the same time!  My work is currently raising money for AFS and you can join in the fun. There are also fishing trips and gear so check it out! Join the AFS online auction here: https://www.32auctions.com/flafs20 Artist Kelly Reark   www.KellyReark.com   www.KellyReark.FRIOicechests.com   www.TattooedTarpon.com

Follow this link to my special offer for newsletter subscribers! https://mailchi.mp/487f1a1c90d7/wet-paint-reark-4907097 If you sign up now (5/3/20) you will be just in time to attend my online vault sale! I am offering some of my retired paintings for subscribers only. Hope to see you there! Artist Kelly Reark www.KellyReark.com www.KellyReark.FRIOicechests.com www.TattooedTarpon.com

2019 © Kelly Reark, RICHEST MEMORIES. Acrylic on canvas (36x48). Photo credit: Boca Beacon Thank you so very much for coming out and visiting with me at the Boca Grande Invitational this past weekend. Listening to all of your positive feedback about my new paintings, and they way that the tournament artwork brought about memories for you made me grateful that I could touch so many of you. This fishery really is a family. Yes, many are related by blood and marriage. There's so much more to it than that. I'd venture to say that nowhere in the world has our kind of community friendship and love. Thank you for sharing your stories with me.  Results of the 2019 World’s Richest: First tarpon of the first day: Capt. Sandy Melvin, Boca Blue - $12,500 Last tarpon of first day: Capt. Wayne Joiner, Hey, Moma! - $12,500 First tarpon and last tarpon of second day: Capt. Lamar Joiner Jr., Searene - $25,000 Second place with four total releases in two...

In March, 2019, Kelly launched a line of wearable artwork in a collaboration with FRIO Ice Chests and Visual Promotions brand. Visit  https://kellyreark.frioicechests.com  to check out all of the designs. New items added regularly - follow Kelly on Instagram and Facebook for product launches.  Wholesaler opportunities - please inquire - www.kellyreark.com Reigning Silver  Tarpon Hammerhead Hide Buy some new gear! Cool info about my shirts: The solar performance long sleeve shirt offers superior sun protection and performance qualities featuring UPF 50+ solar protection. This long sleeve tee is lightweight, comfortable, and extremely durable. The fabric features moisture-wicking technology developed to keep you dry while you are out on the water. UPF 50+ 100% Polyester Interlock Moisture Wicking  Odor Resistant  Stain Release Technology  Ultra Tight Knit Resists Snagging Generously siz...

2019 © Kelly Reark, ON THE EDGE OF PEACE. Acrylic on canvas (24x30). I hope you’ve been following me on social media ( facebook and Instagram ) to see the start-to-finish time lapse videos I’ve released.The 20 to 30 second tidbits give an idea of how I work a canvas. I have compiled 50+ hours of video into about 7 minutes so that you can watch it all at once. I posted it to YouTube ( Click to view ). Right now, there's some background music. The pollen, weird weather, and red tide have combined in a perfect storm and struck me down. I am a wheezy, coughing asthmatic mess. As soon as my voice returns and I stop coughing, I can dub the audio with commentary on my process. If you have any questions that you’d like me to answer during my video, send them to me now! This art represents the PReaCH campaign. We launched the artwork at the Peace River Revival in Punta Gorda on March 30. PReaCH is dedicated to bringing resource protection awareness to, and advocacy for,...

South County Healthy Living Article Hitting the shelves November 2018 is the inaugural edition of the South County Healthy Living Magazine. I was interviewed for the edition, and if you would like to read the online version click  HERE . You can pick up a copy at many of the local businesses throughout Venice, North Port, Nokomis and Englewood.

These two brand new mahi mahi watercolor paintings were auctioned off at the West Palm Beach Fishing Club annual BBQ and awards banquet in south Florida. The BBQ is a huge event with awards given out for outstanding fishing throughout the year. Why did I choose them? They put great emphasis on traditions and are active advocates of initiatives that promote habitat protection and sustainable fishing. They give educational seminars and scholarships to kids, and since 2001 have donated more than 2,000 fishing rod/reel outfits to kids just to keep kids excited about protecting the marine environment so we can continue to experience the fishing that we all love! Each of these ink and watercolor paintings are one-of-a-kind, 9x12 illustrations of one of my favorite fish to catch and um ...  not  release. Good thing they are some of the fastest growing fish in the ocean. Your only chance at these two is to attend the event this weekend! Click here to learn more about the event. © 20...

Belted Kingfishers: Her Majesty's Wish 2018 © Kelly Reark,  Her Majesty's Wish . Acrylic on canvas (16x20). These belted kingfishers titled "Her Majesty's Wish" show the unique relationship between a male and female of the species. Male kingfishers will repeatedly bring offerings of food to a potential mate. She will either accept the offering or snub him until he brings her the perfect present. Once they are in agreement, they become a monogamous nesting pair and he will continue to feed her throughout their courtship.

Here's my completed "Banyan Street" painting. I am happy to report that it hangs in its new home along with its sister painting called "Wormsloe". Stay tuned to my  Instagram  for a timelapse clip of my work in action! Artist Kelly Reark www.KellyReark.com www.TattooedTarpon.com www.WaterfrontKelly.com

In 2017, I created the "Johnson Shoals" tarpon mount for a Bonefish & Tarpon Trust auction in Boca Grande. King Sailfish supplied the fish mount for this project. The idea for the painting came to me from the many times I have drifted in the Pass, watching the waves and the shadows dancing beneath them. The shoals are on the south side of the pass, so when you look back across it you can see the Boca Grande lighthouse. From this perspective, the Gulf waters are to the "left".  The fundraiser was a success and one of Boca Grande's own purchased the fish to hang in a local office building. Artist Kelly Reark www.TattooedTarpon.com

© 2018 Kelly Reark,  Turtle Jelly . Watercolor on cold press paper. This is a very detailed pen and ink drawing of a sea turtle swimming toward it's favorite candy: jellyfish! I painted the jellyfish in these airy pink and purple hues because the lightness of the creature floating in the water makes me think of the wispy sugar strands of cotton candy. 

© 2018 Kelly Reark,  Ink Tarpon . Watercolor on cold press paper. (11 x 17 inches) You missed it!  One of my VIPs snapped up this beautiful watercolor. My VIP Patrons enjoyed a private art launch and each of the wonderful original works were only available to them. I won't be making any prints of these works. The only way to get in on them is to be one of my VIPs. Take a minute and sign up! Thank you for following the progression of my artwork. I look forward to sharing with you as I continue to grow and refine my craft. " Ink Tarpon"  was so much fun to create. I went crazy with the background and used washes, salt, blotters, alcohol and watercolors to create an abstract environment for these beauties. Tarpon are so darn beautiful. My pen and ink drawing is detailed and each scale articulated.  In conjunction with the World's Richest Tarpon Tournament coming up in a few months, I am showing new art pieces in the Invitational Art Show held...

© 2018 Kelly Reark,  Orca 2018 . Watercolor on hot press paper. (8 x 4.5 inches) " Orca 2018"   Inspired by a recent trip to Sea World and some upcoming contributions to the Ocean Foundation, I painted this watercolor portrait of a beautiful killer whale. I was fascinated with the way the colors of the arena bounced off of their slick rubbery skin. This piece was the smallest in the February art launch, and sold to one of my Very Important Patrons (VIPs) who just so happens to have a love for those same Orcas at Sea World. Art Trivia - Did you know that the Mona Lisa is only about 20 inches x 30 inches?  VIP EMAIL SIGNUP  (Get access to my art before it goes out to the public!)

"Manatee Love"  was the second piece in my February 2018 art launch. These gentle manatees have such squishy whisker faces just begging for a smooch. A few years ago I swam with them in the Crystal River and Kings Bay springs here in Florida. I now know why people love them so. My VIP email subscribers see exclusive first looks and  first dibs . "Manatee Love" will  not  be reproduced as a limited edition print. One of my VIPs purchased  "Manatee Love"  before it was ever even seen by the public during the private art launch. She got this one of a kind, original watercolor of mine before you ever even knew it existed and what's more is that she got it for only $150 . Now do you understand why getting on my email list is so darn important???    VIP EMAIL SIGNUP © 2018 Kelly Reark,  Manatee Love . Watercolor on cold press paper. (8.5 x 8.5 inches)