About the Artist

Raised in the Texas Hill Country, Keely Corona Smith earned a deep appreciation for nature and the spiritual connection she felt to it. Keely received a bachelor of arts in Psychology with a concentration in Fine Art from San Angelo State University in 1993. After graduation, Keely began a career in decorative painting. In 1996 she returned to the Hill Country and settled in Fredericksburg, where she helped start a successful decorative painting company painting murals, faux finishes and ornamentation. During this 13 year period Keely went to Rhode Island and studied under 2 muralist and master decorative painters. Keely’s desire of expressing what she saw and her dream of being a fine artist was there since she was a child, but she was told “you can't make a living at it and it’s just not practical”. Over the years as a decorative painter Keely met several successful artists and began to realize that it was possible. "I've always believed that God places people in our lives in order to lead us in the direction we are meant to go. I just had to be open to it and let go of my fears. The next step is faith and lots of hard work”.

In 2006 Keely decided to take a leap of faith and began studying the traditional and old master's style of painting under Gregg Kreutz. She was in love from the start and put every spare moment and many late nights into learning her passion. After that first class she set a goal to have a solo show in 1 year, knowing this challenge would spur her on when the already filled days of raising a daughter and running a decorative painting business would seem all she could do. That show at Lincoln St. Wine Market in Fredericksburg Texas, was extremely well received with a packed house. At the close of her show, Keely had sold 17 of the 27 paintings on display. This was all the encouragement she needed. In 2007, she entered her first competition at Gillespie counties annual juried art show and received an award for her still life.

She began taking more classes with renouned artists Denise Mahlke, Chuck Rawle and also received a scholarship from the Fredericksburg Artist's School to study under the nationally known Jeff Legg. In 2008 Keely had 3 paintings juried into The Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas for the Collector's Classic. Keely has also been invited to show her work in four tour of homes and had 4 solo shows and several group shows in the first three years of painting.

In 2007 Keely was commisioned to paint 4 abstracts for August E's restaurant in Fredericksburg, Texas. This was something totally different for Keely but the same rules of composition, color and form applied. . The first abstract she painted for August E's was photographed in Texas Monthly. After request for more abstract work Keely has continued painting abstracts.

In 2009 five of Keely's contemporary pieces were selected for the San Antonio parade of homes. The house won the peoples choice award and her work was featured in the January 2010 San Antonio-Austin Urban Home magazine.

"My inspirations for my traditional work has always been the natural landscape and hand made pottery. My contemporary inspiration is harder to define. It comes from deep within, a combination of experiences, dreams, emotions and a definite connection to a divine creator. All of my work is influenced by a visual memory and a feeling of being connected to nature and creation. I use red a lot to symbolize the energy that I see in nature. When I look out at a landscape in nature I see the awe and splendor of creation. I see energy, movement, and vibrations occurring within nature all around me. The most difficult part of painting is putting on canvas what I see and feel but when I am successful there is no greater feeling.

I believe my job as an artist is to help connect the viewer to the awe of divine creation. With all of the distractions we have in modern day, we lose sight of this beauty to often. We have so many unnecessary ailments that stress brings on. If I can help the viewer connect back and breathe in the mystery and the feeling of connectedness we all have to everything and everyone to soothe their soul I have done my job. Everyone sees and feels something different and that is how it should be.”

"Painting has become a basic need like water and I don't know how I made it so long without it. I am so grateful for the people in my life that believed in me, encouraged me, taught me, wrote articles for me, came to my shows and helped to lead me here. I am so grateful for all the people who purchase my work. It is amazing to have someone love your work enough to put it in their home."

Keely is represented by Garden Path Gallery in Boerne, Texas (Contemporary Work), Artisans. Fredericksburg, Texas (Contemporary Abstracts) and by appointment in her studio in Fredericksburg, Texas. She currently resides in Fredericksburg, Texas with her daughter Abbey.