Jason Kelly

Contemporary kiwiana artist Jason Kelly (JK) came to prominence with his super successful first series of prints, the "Sweet As" suite of iconic kiwiana style pictures with his trademark quirky twists and added humour. Over a decade later Jason is drawing this era to a close and is not renewing his contract with his publisher. Prints shown here are still in stock today, but we have limited quantities available on a first in, first served basis. Kelly (also known as "JK") trained as a signwriter - a commercial background that has informed and enriched his subsequent artistic career. Jason feels a particular resonance with the handmade and recycled - the original artworks that his prints are based on are completed by hand onto a reclaimed wood surface using only paint brushes and mahl stick and without the use of stencils. According to Kelly "Commercial art is often more ingenious than pure art. It has to combine an image with a message in away that pure art does not." Jason's kiwiana art prints are some of our most popular artworks in NZ's ever growing genre of Kiwiana.