He comes from Donegal and from a family well versed in the understanding of the enriching role of Art in the in the individual’s life. On completing his studies in the University of Ulster, he gravitated back to his home town of Carndonagh, and began to reflect the strong landscape of his surrounds, clearly seeing the gorgeousness of the local colour through the lens of the Donegal light. The influences of Inisowen are acknowledged by the artist, and the Irish landscape tradition with their extraordinary palette, as embodied by Sean MacSweeney among other artists of the North West of Ireland, have a strong representative in Kelly, with his clearly defined colour blocks.