Ramon Kelley, of Irish and Mexican American descent, was born in 1939 in the Spanish barrio of Cheyenne, Wyoming, as the nation was recovering from the Depression.  One of ten children, he dropped out of school early after graduating eighth grade to make a living shining shoes, selling papers, working in a used-car dealership and took a job driving a truck for a Greek poultry merchant in his home town. He later worked as a ranch hand until he was old enough to join the Navy.
Even as a young boy, Ramon loved to draw. While in the Navy he had the opportunity to visit the great art centers of Europe and would study the paintings in great detail in an attempt to improve on his own work. Primarily self-taught, he later received a scholarship to the Colorado Institute of Art in Denver, Colorado and by the early 60's had settled permanently in Denver. Needing to support his wife and young son, he worked as an illustrator and graphic designer, making portrait drawings in the evenings. Jane Hiatt, owner of the Village Gallery in Taos, New Mexico, suggested Ramon move into color and paint. His career in fine art was off and running.
His first watercolor was accepted into the American Watercolor Society's annual exhibition, where it won the Helen Gapen Oehler Award. At the same time, Ramon adopted pastel and became one of the first members of the Pastel Society of America. In 1985, the Pastel Society of America designated Ramon a Master Panelist, and in 1986, Ramon was elected to the Pastel Hall of Fame by the Pastel Society of America, New York City.
Kelley now is among the most recognized and collected artists in the U.S. He works in watercolor, pastel, acrylic, oil paint and charcoal. He has produced many fine landscapes but is most famous for his insightful character portraits and his reflective nudes, almost always of Hispanic or Indian women. Earning recognition as a young artist and continuing to grow professionally, Ramon Kelley, credits Russian artist Nicolai Fechin as a major influence on his strong figural painting. Kelley says "there is no more beautiful landscape in the world than that of the female figure" (Southwest Art 5/98).
Kelley is no stranger to hard work. He knows well the emotional and technical peaks and valleys of an artist's life. He studies carefully the problems (both emotional and technical) of other artists and tries to learn from their strengths and weaknesses. He struggles with himself to produce the best of which he is capable.
The art of Ramon Kelley is full of emotion. It makes you become one with the paintings, the personality of his models, their mood and their thoughts. You are spell-bound and you are drawn into the art. His still lifes of everyday objects are so beautiful that it enriches your life to be able to view them through his yes and the deep feeling he has as he paints. In all mediums, you know that you have met a master. It is a joy to have and to live with his art as a part of your life. This is Ramon Kelley's gift to the world.
His works are in many collections. including at the New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts and the US Military Academy Museum at West Point. Ramon Kelley has been featured in many magazines including "Southwest Art" and "Art of the West". Best known for his insightful portraits and classic nudes, he was elected to the Pastel Society of America's Hall of Fame. Ramon and his wife Mona are residents of Denver. Colorado.
EXHIBITIONS (Selected):
2003 11th Anniversary Show, Portnoy Galleries, Carmel, California
2002 10th Anniversary Show, Portnoy Galleries, Carmel, California
1999 One Man Exhibition, Portnoy Galleries, Carmel, California
1987-1997 One Man Exhibitions, Ventana Fine Art, Sante Fe, New Mexico
1996 Prix de West Invitational, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1994 One Man Show, Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, Wyoming
1994 Pastel Show, Luminous Gallery, Talchung, Taiwan
1981-1998 Artists of America, Denver Rotary Club, Denver, Colorado
1979-1993 Group Exhibitions, National Academy of Art, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1976-1995 Group Exhibitions, Pastel Society of America, New York, New York

MAJOR CREDITS:
1996 – Art Masters Award, NYC
1995 – Pastel Society of America, NYC (Virginia M. Ward Memorial Award)
1994 – Pastel Society of America, NYC (Mr. and Mrs. A. Giffuni for Exceptional Merit Award)
1994 – Wyoming State Museum, One Man Show, Cheyenne, Wyoming
1993 – The Allied Artists of America, NYC (Grumbacher Gold Medal)
1993 – The Colorado 100 certificate of Recognition (for contributions and lasting impact on the arts in Colorado)
1993 – Pastel Society of America, NYC (Barbara and Gary Scott Award for Landscape)
1992 – Pastel Society of America, NYC (Pastel Society of America Board of Directors Award)
1990 – Elected to the Colorado Institute of Art Hall of Fame
1988 – Pastel Society of America (Columbus Club Ladies Auxiliary, Award for Excellence)
1986 – Elected to the Pastel Hall of Fame, Pastel Society of America
1985 – Pastel Society of America, NYC, Master Pastellist Designation
1983 – Museum of Native American Cultures, Washington (Honored Guest 1983, Founder and Charter Member,      Monac Artists Society Silver Award 1983)
1982 – Pastel Society of America Exhibition, NYC (Barbara & Vincent Giffuni Award)
1981 – Pastel Society of America Exhibition, NYC (Joyce & Elliot Lisdin Award for Southwest Art)
1980 – Museum of Native American Cultures, Spokane, Washington (Best of show)
1979 – Kalispell Art show and Auction, Kalispell, Montana (Best of Show medal)
1979 – Pastel Society of America Exhibition, NYC (Members Award Portrait)
1977 – Pastel Society of America Exhibition, NYC
1977 – Colorado State Fair, Pueblo, Colorado (Meritorious Award)
1977 – Southwestern Drawing Biennial, Tucson, Arizona
1977 – George Phippen Memorial Exhibition, Prescott, Arizona (Silver medal, Drawing; Bronze medal, Mixed Media)
1977 – American Watercolor Society 110th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Traveling exhibition)
1976 – Pastel Society of America Exhibition, NYC (Trump Award “Exceptional Merit”)
1976 – American Watercolor Society 109th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Traveling exhibition) 1976 – Mainstreams ’76 9th Annual Exhibition, Marietta College, Ohio (H. Lester Cook Memorial Award, Award of Distinction, Purchase Award)
1975 – Pastel Society of America Exhibition, NYC (Pope Foundation Award)
1975 – American Watercolor Society 108th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Emily Lowe Memorial Award; Traveling exhibition)
1975 – Mainstreams ’75 8th Annual Exhibition, Marietta College, Ohio (Award of Distinction)
1974 – Allied Artists of America, NYC
1974 – National Arts Club Pastel Exhibition, NYC (Betty & Leone Peters Award)
1974 – American Watercolor Society 107th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Traveling exhibition)
1973 – Allied Arts of America, NYC (Salmagundi Club Prize)
1973 – Colorado State Fair, Pueblo, Colorado (Meritorious Award)
1973 – American Watercolor Society 106th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Traveling exhibition)
1972 – Allied Artists of America, NYC
1972 – American Watercolor Society 105th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Traveling exhibition)
1972 – Mainstreams ’72, 5th Annual Exhibition, Marietta College, Ohio]
1971 – Colorado State Fair, Pueblo, Colorado (Meritorious Award)
1971 – American Watercolor Society 104th Annual Exhibition, NYC (Helen Gapen Oehler Award; Travelling exhibition)

INVITATIONAL SHOWS:
Colorado Governor’s Invitational Art Show, Loveland, CO 1996, 1997, 1998
Governor’s Invitational Western Art Show, Cheyenne, WY 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Prix de West Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001
Denver Rotary Club Artists of America, Denver, CO 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1996
National Academy of Western Art, Oklahoma City, Ok 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 (Silver medal in oil), 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
Luminous Gallery, Pastel Show, Taichung, Taiwan – 1994
Albuquerque Museum, Mineatures/91, Albuquerque, NM – 1991
The Rotary Club of Amarillo Art Exhibition and Sale, Amarillo, TX – 1988, 1989
A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum and Gallery, Trinidad, CO – 1987
Western Art Rendezvous, Helena, MT – 1979
Santa Fe Festival of the Arts, Santa Fe, NM – 1977
Charles and Emma Frye Museum of Fine Art, Seattle, WA – 1973
Tucson Art Center, Western Art Show, Tucson, AZ – 1971
Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Beaux Ball, Dallas, TX – 1971
Oklahoma City Museum of Fine Art at Redridge, Oklahoma City, Ok – 1971

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:
George Amos Memorial Library, Gillette, WY
Charles & Emma Frye Museum of Fine Art, Seattle, WA
Denver Public Library, Denver, CO
El Museo de Las Americas, Denver, CO
Harmsen Collection of the Art of the West (recently donated to Denver Art Museum)
Marietta College, Marietta, OH
New Mexico Museum of Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM
Museum of Native American Cultures, Spokane, WA
Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo, CO
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
West Point Military Academy, New York

ARTICLES:
The Artist Magazine – 1999, 2002
American Artist Magazine (special issue) Art Masters Award
American Artist Magazine – June 1992, December 1972, 1969
Art Exhibit – July 1989
Artists of the Rockies – 1974
Art of the West – July/August 1991 and 1996, January/February 2002 Article & Cover Focus/Santa Fe – 1989
International Artist Magazine – August/September 2001
International Fine Art Collector – 1991
La Revue Modern, Paris, France – 1972
Pastel Artist International – November/December 1999, January 2000
Santa Fean Magazine – September 1982 and 1988
Southwest Art Magazine – May 2001, May 1998, September 1982, November 1973, December 1972
Southwest Art Magazine Cover – July/August 1974
Today’s Art – August 1975
Masterworks of Impressionism by Arlene Doran Kirkpatrick – 1985
How to Paint Figures in Pastel by Joe Singer

LISTED IN :
Who’s Who in American Art
Who’s Who in the West
Who’s Who in Art and Antiques – London, England

MEMBER OF:
American Watercolor Society
Allied Artists of America – Honorary Member
Knickerbocker Artists
National Academy of Western Art
Oil Painters of America, Representational
Pastel Society of America
Whiskey Painters of America

BOOKS AUTHORED OR CO-AUTHORED BY RAMON KELLEY:
Ramon Kelley: Portrait of the Artist
Ramon Kelley Paints Portraits and Figures (co-authored with Mary Carroll Nelson)
The 5 Essentials in Every Powerful Painting