Kelly Jay is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Bristol, focusing her practice between paper collage and figurative drawings. With roots in Britain, The Caribbean and India, Kelly creates strong cultural links to her ancestors’ beginnings through symbolic references within her work; she researches African and Caribbean folklore and legends, alongside Indian patterns, stories and artworks. The cultural significance of her work is expressed through mysterious characters, real or imagined, who embrace mysticism and “a bit of magic” to bring them to life. These characters can be anything from mermaids to gypsy travelers, as Kelly is greatly inspired by folk and outsider art. Her work is an ode to her ancestors and her whimsical imagination to portray a sense of mystery, magic and performance.
“My work is about creating new stories. Like dreams, stories can twist and change depending on who is experiencing them. I enjoy the process of creating in a dream-like state, often imagining the works partially in my head before setting pencil to paper. ”
