Kellie Rae Theiss

“I love the world of natural. My paintbrush caresses feathers and fins the way I wish my fingers could. My obsession leads me to research - my library is extensive but no matter how much information I gather – they are all still a mystery. This is part of the draw.

The patterns, color and symmetry make a challenge for execution. It is this perfection in design and level of craftsmanship that is my goal - to heighten the sense of awareness of the viewer, to make them fall

in love with the subjects.

It is important to evoke the potential for movement and to capture their essence. All of these creatures with so many shapes and expressions, some divine, some devilish but they are all creations of absolute poetry.”

“I paint portraits of animals great and small, breathtaking to simple. My goal is to express reverence, love and respect for the subject. It is an honor to have been gifted with a talent to paint nature. I feel a spiritual connection that is right. The message is strong and simple. It is our

privilege to observe, appreciate and protect our natural world and it is my honor to work for nature.”

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Born on her ancestral farm in the hills and prairies of Northeast Nebraska, Kellie Rae Theiss has love and respect for the natural world. A Quaker, poet, and painter, she recognizes the world’s sanctity as well as its beauty. Her paintings celebrate life through careful observation, tenderness and respect. The creatures she depicts are not anonymous because Kellie expresses the special character of all God’s creations.

Kellie’s past experience includes nine years operating a successful gallery in Minneapolis, which was a venue for local, national, and international artists. She is also a respected educator who was responsible for curriculum and teaching in a large metropolitan school system. She is co-founder and past president of the Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization.

Kellie studied at the University of Nebraska and later at an art academy in Florence, Italy. Her sophisticated technique is based on Renaissance painting which allows her to create bodies, feathers, or scales in all their complexity of color, texture and mystery.

Kellie’s studio sits on a hill over-looking Prairie Lake in Northern Minnesota. Surrounded by woods and long vistas of water, it is a retreat that allows her to enter the fullness of nature.

Evan M Maurer

Minneapolis, April, 2009