Jay Kelly

American, b. 1961

"I’m not going to talk about my work." A cloud of defiance as thick as the smoke of his cigar wafts over him as he dabbles solder onto a tiny metal sculpture. He never had respect for conventions, rules… not even time. Just like his obsessively labored sculptures Jay Kelly seems to move fluently through centuries. Not agreeing on the now. His pieces tell a story of yearning for a time that never existed. Like props or artifacts from a world just beyond reach - that seem all too familiar but, then again, elude understanding. This small-scale work ranges from burdened to playful. From imposing to delicate. Alone, they stand tall and proud at all but 6 inches. Together the pieces form a unity, a tiny city of sorts. Created on a small folding table in NYC, these pieces feel influenced by their surroundings. With hints of old Americana, city brutality, grace, elegance, cast away curb-side items, industrial landscapes, busted tires and washed up buoys. "I like to refine my shapes over the years. I feel like I’m getting closer to the purest forms and shapes that turn me on," Kelly absentmindedly says about his work. "They have to have a certain weight," he continues, now filing at tiny metal flanges. "See… I’m a tinkerer… that’s what I do". -Suzanne Levesque Jay Kelly was born in 1961 and received his B.A. from Syracuse University in 1983. Originally a photorealist painter, Kelly shifted his focus towards abstraction in the late 1990s. Moving away from his remarkably rendered realist paintings, Kelly’s practice evolved into a completely anti-representational body of work. Calling to mind the work of Martin Puryear, Paul Klee, Alexander Calder, and Tim Burton, the work’s clean lines and minimal aesthetic also allude to 20th century modernist architecture and furniture.

Creator: Jay Kelly

Rare Op Art Portable Recod Player with Flashing Multi-colored Lights

$990

Rare Op Art Portable Recod Player with Flashing Multi-colored Lights

By Jay Kelly

Located in Buffalo, NY

WORKING Perfectly... visually stunning rare example of collectible audio history with a killer groovy design! AC powered "DeJay" brand portable monual record player in excellent co...

Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jay Kelly

Materials

Fabric, Plastic, Wood

1950s Zenith Brown Bakelite Portable Radio Nonworking

$250

H 9 in W 14.5 in D 8.75 in

1950s Zenith Brown Bakelite Portable Radio Nonworking

By Zenith

Located in Chula Vista, CA

Vintage Zenith portable radio 9 h x 14.5 w x 8.75 Bakelite cover with rubber handle. Original knobs. Minos scuffs present. Tested and not working. Review images listed.

Category

1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jay Kelly

Materials

Bakelite

Vintage Underwood Champion Portable Typewriter c.1946

$175Sale Price|46% Off

H 6 in W 12.5 in D 12 in

Vintage Underwood Champion Portable Typewriter c.1946

Located in San Francisco, CA

ABOUT A vintage portable Underwood Champion Four bank typewriter in grey finish and original case. This typewriter is very clean and in good working order. It has smooth typing and ...

Category

Early 20th Century Industrial Jay Kelly

Materials

Steel

18th Century Rare European Embossed Leather Book with Rose Colored Page Edges

$1,100

H 12.5 in W 8.5 in D 4 in

18th Century Rare European Embossed Leather Book with Rose Colored Page Edges

Located in Wainscott, NY

18th Century Rare European Leather book found in Germany. This book has aged beautifully with exquisite patina. Vellum (derived from the Latin word vitulinum meaning "made from c...

Category

Mid-18th Century German Antique Jay Kelly

Materials

Leather, Paper

Vintage Mickey Mouse Walt Disney Blue Portable Record Player GE Turntable (B)

$55

H 6 in W 13.5 in D 9.5 in

Vintage Mickey Mouse Walt Disney Blue Portable Record Player GE Turntable (B)

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage General Electric Blue & White Mickey Mouse Walt Disney 1970's Portable Record Player Turntable in Carrying Case (B). Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 6" H x 13.5" W...

Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jay Kelly

Materials

Plastic

Portable Game Set Chess Checkers Backgammon and more with World Globe Case

$195

H 6 in W 10.25 in D 1.75 in

Portable Game Set Chess Checkers Backgammon and more with World Globe Case

Located in New York, NY

A portable travel game set in a world globe covered case, circa mid-20th century, 1960s. Games include chess, checkers, backgammon, playing cards (1 deck/poker), dominos, and 'Fox an...

Category

Mid-20th Century Jay Kelly

Materials

Metal

Vintage Mexican Foosball Table with Metal Players, circa 1940-1970

$7,495Sale Price|30% Off

H 35 in W 61 in D 49 in

Vintage Mexican Foosball Table with Metal Players, circa 1940-1970

By Gaber

Located in San Francisco, CA

ABOUT An early 20th c. wooden foosball table top with distressed, painted metal Mexican soccer players, rubber handles and metal "Gebar" branded ashtrays on each end. Original paint...

Category

Early 20th Century Mexican Industrial Jay Kelly

Materials

Metal

Vintage Mickey Mouse Walt Disney Blue White Portable Record Player GE Turntable

$65

H 6 in W 13.5 in D 9.5 in

Vintage Mickey Mouse Walt Disney Blue White Portable Record Player GE Turntable

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage General Electric Blue & White Mickey Mouse Walt Disney 1970's Portable Record Player Turntable in Carrying Case. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 6" H x 13.5" W x 9...

Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jay Kelly

Materials

Plastic

Jaguar XK 120 Roadster 1950, Rare Collection Car, A+ Condition incl. Expert Op.

$239,000

H 55 in W 174 in D 62 in

Jaguar XK 120 Roadster 1950, Rare Collection Car, A+ Condition incl. Expert Op.

By Jaguar Cars Ltd.

Located in Lichtenberg, AT

We offer you the chance of buying this breathtaking, rare Jaguar XK 120 which had its first road legal in february 1950. There has been built only a very little number of these cars,...

Category

Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Jay Kelly

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Embossed Coca-Cola Portable Red Cooler With Bottle Opener

$569

H 18 in W 19.5 in D 12.5 in

Mid-Century Embossed Coca-Cola Portable Red Cooler With Bottle Opener

By Cavalier

Located in Port Jervis, NY

Fabulous Coca-Cola cooler from the fifties by the Cavalier co a producer of metal coolers for the Coca-Cola bottling co. In the fantastic red unmistakably Coca-Cola embossed on both ...

Category

1950s American Industrial Vintage Jay Kelly

Materials

Aluminum, Steel, Iron

19th Century Portable Wooden Sundial

$301

H 2.37 in W 3.55 in D 0.79 in

19th Century Portable Wooden Sundial

Located in Madrid, ES

Charming portable sundial crafted in engraved wood, dating from the 19th century. This compact timekeeping instrument exemplifies the practical elegance and craftsmanship of traditio...

Category

Mid-19th Century Antique Jay Kelly

Materials

Fruitwood

3 Dimensional Wooden Chess or Checker Board with Chess Players

$725

H 2.25 in W 13.75 in D 13.75 in

3 Dimensional Wooden Chess or Checker Board with Chess Players

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A very unique way to play chess or checkers... the board is stairs stepped, or "3-D" look... A wonderful decorative piece and fun to play as well - likely more novel that serious, but it is a chess board with all the pieces. Checkers are not included. the king and queen are approx 3" high A great housewarming or fathers day gift.

Category

20th Century Modern Jay Kelly

Materials

Wood

OP! Optimistic Interiors

$55 / item

H 10.3 in W 10.3 in D 1.2 in

OP! Optimistic Interiors

Located in New York, NY

Author Oliver Furth AD100 and Elle Décor A-List Interior Designer Oliver Furth masterfully combines bi-partisan enthusiasm for classical and contemporary influences with California ...

Category