Local artist Jo Ridge Kelley will exhibit the latest painting from her WaterDance series at The Jeweler’s Workbench on Main Street in Waynesville starting Feb. 11.

The paintings are a personal expression in vivid colors played against subdued darks with textural effects added with the palette knife. The paintings are intended to evoke the beauty of nature on the surface of the canvas and each one can mean something different to the viewer.

The very first painting in this series was created three years ago, a large commissioned piece for The Gateway Club in Waynesville.

“It has been a magical journey working from my soul, pulling from within, experimenting and letting go. It has been amazing to see how folks of all walks of life relate to this series of paintings in oil,” Kelley said.

Best known for her landscape paintings, especially mountains and mist, Kelley said it thrills her that the WaterDance paintings have been so well received.

“They are a very personal response to the beauty of nature, without having to actually see trees and other objects. You can just ‘feel’ the essence of nature. That is what I love about creating these paintings,” she said.

Kelley lives in Waynesville and paints in her home studio.

828.456.2260 or www.thejewelersworkbench.us or www.JoRidgeKelley.com.