Spectacular Salmon

Petersburg, Alaska - 4th of July parade 1996.

This is the Forest Service's "Recycle for Our Tomorrow" float, made from recycled junk by Joe Kelley.

PolkaDot Black Heart

Bird Sketchbook p18

Ladybug

Scratch House Shots

The National Sunflower Association says that sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) have been cultivated by Native Americans in what is now the Arizona and New Mexico area since around 3000 BC.
photo by Mary Predny

Hickory in Moonlight

The Tifted Tuttlebird

Raven in the Grand Canyon

Milkweed Pods

"Stick To Your Guns" Art Show

Joe Kelley's Piano Puppets are currently on display at the 5th annual "Stick To Your Guns" art show in Roanoke, Virginia. The show, which features artwork from ~40 artists, runs from August 12th to September 9th, open Thursday through Sundays from 10am-5pm (or by appointment) at Warehouse Row on 113 Norfolk Ave (look for the big "Art Show" banner over the door).

For more information about the show, see the article "To Delight and Disturb" in the Roanoke Times or listen to the podcast interview with Beth Deel.













Here is a picture of some dancing hamburgers at the STYG opening on August 12th. The Roanoke Times has a slideshow with more pictures of the opening.

Piano Puppets

The following pictures show a series of sculptures I made from an old hand-crafted upright piano that I found on the side of the road about 3 years ago. The carved characters were intended to be puppets/props for an as-yet unfinished film project.

Each puppet was created by intuitively combining molding and other shaped pieces, with additional carving to accentuate facial features. Appendages were added by reconfiguring the various intricate mechanisms of the piano. The frames for the wings were made from piano parts, held together by string and beeswax, with feathers made from sheet music from an old Hank Williams songbook.

The handmade joinery and signatures found inside the piano indicated that it was assembled by several craftsmen 70 years ago. The upper right arm of the SunMan/MoonMan puppet displays one of the original signatures and date: December 19, 1935.

(photos by Mary Predny, except where noted)

PinHead

FourEyes

SunMan/MoonMan

The Silver-Tongued Devil

Angel Wings

front view - photo by Suzy Nees















back view

Piano Man

the dangling dancer by Mary Predny

Scratch House Shots

the piano soundboard. photo by Mary

Bubba: The Super Grouper

This is a sketch of Bubba, a 140-pound Queensland grouper in the Wild Reef exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. A note near the exhibit said that Bubba was found in a cooler on the steps of the aquarium in 1987. Bubba is currently recovering from chemotherapy treatments for malignant cancer on his forehead. He is believed to be the first fish to undergo such treatments. You can read all about Bubba and his extraordinary fight against cancer at the Shedd Aquarium website.

Scratch House Shots

photo by Mary Predny

James River Stump

Here Kitty Kitty

Ick Beetle

Cedar Run Island

The Red Crested Nut Picker