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...

Tarpon fever - What a transformation! I spent a lot of time with this mini tarpon. It came from the 2003 World's Richest Tarpon Tournament captain's trophy. Through the years, it took a lot of sun and weathering. I used apoxie sculpting medium to patch the holes and chipped paint, and I sanded and sanded to make the body smooth again. Several coats of paint followed several coats of primer, and I finished with four coats of high gloss sealing varnish. I completely changed the look of this tarpon because I wanted it to be a Boca Grande Pass tarpon. Using photos from fish caught here in the Pass, I gave him the seaglass green, gold and silvery hues we love to see flashing f... To read the rest of this newsletter or to subscribe, please click here. https://mailchi.mp/9199c74d4589/wet-paint-reark-5028030

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

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

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.

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

© 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)

© 2017 Kelly Reark,  Sepia Sailfish . Acrylic on fiberglass. Kelly Reark Chosen as 2017-2018 ROFFS ™  Artist of the Year In a press release on November 16, the announcement was made that I won the Artist of the Year title at ROFFS™. What an honor to be among this elite group of artists! ROFFS™ annually selects an artist to feature as "Artist of the Year." The purpose of this honor is to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with artists in the marine community. Artists are selected based on a variety of objective and subjective criteria. ROFFS™ promotes the Artist of the Year and does not get a commission or any direct financial benefit from this. They just love really great marine art! Previous recipients have been Don Ray, Steve Goione, Carey Chen, Kevin Brant, Barry Barnett, Daniel Jean-Baptiste, Mark Ray, Tony Ludovico, Judy Shillingburg, Larry Rackley, David Mellor, Dustin Cole, Dennis Friel and Adrian Gray. Click here to go  to the ROFF...

© 2017 Kelly Reark,  Bahamas Royalty   Permit. Acrylic on fiberglass fish mount (34" Permit) The idea for Bahamas Royalty came through looking at photos of my last trip to Marsh Harbour. A queen triggerfish, queen conch, queen angelfish, silver king ... so many royally beautiful fish from our daily dive! Having a marine biology background, I enjoy the research involved in preparing a work. I look at the entire ecology of the main subject: the habitat, lighting, supportive species, food source and biology. Days of sketching later, I settle on my idea and got to work with the paint. My process is to sketch multiple views of each creature or landmark. Then I use transparent paper to make an outline and work out the best placement on the fish mount. Many of my sketches and images are saved for another project because my ideas are usually too many for one fish mount. The next step is to antique the areas that I want to give that "old paper" look and to pai...

The inside joke ... When I paint, my style is realistic surrealism. I enjoy the challenge of accurately painting God's creations in somewhat ideal settings, and I also enjoy infusing humor or sarcasm. Here is my FL lobster - we call lobsters "bugs". These bugs and all sorts of other bugs are a fact of life here in FL. This one is hiding under the fin of the mount, which I have painted with a Kino flipflop. I don't know about you but when I see a bug in my house, my Kino is usually the first thing I grab. 

I was lucky growing up. My dad is part Indiana Jones, part Bruce Willis and part Steve Irwin (before any of us knew who Steve was). He taught my brother and I how to hunt, fish, use weapons and use our heads in the Great Outdoors. We learned to take only what we needed, to not kill anything we weren't prepared to eat, and to leave nothing behind. We learned how to be happy no matter the weather, or at least be quietly unhappy when the waves were taller than the sides of the boat. We've had so many great adventures together as a family. Now that we are grown with families of our own, we choose to get together and continue our adventures! There's no place any of us would rather be than together in the woods or on a boat somewhere. Even when we disagree, we try to disagree over a campfire or a bait well. Our family is strong because of the love and learning provided by our parents. If you are blessed to be a father or grandfather, or if you might someday be one, t...