About me

I’m Derek Kelley, a charcoal artist born in South Carolina and now based in Canton, Georgia. I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and my work centers on the human figure, emotional expression, and the relationship between light and shadow. Through flowing fabric, illuminated forms, and intimate portraits, I give shape to feelings that can be difficult to put into words.

My charcoal drawings are rooted in recovery, resilience, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of simply being alive.

After years of addiction and now close to a decade of sobriety, I’ve come to understand life through contrast: highs and lows, darkness and light, pain and gratitude. Addiction teaches intensity, and sobriety teaches how to feel that intensity naturally. I channel those feelings into my work.

Working in charcoal allows me to explore raw emotion honestly. My drawings often carry a sense of depth and shadow, sometimes dark, sometimes quiet, but always intentional. I believe the presence of darkness only heightens the beauty beside it, and that contrast is where life feels most real.

Through my art, I aim to create deeply moving, emotionally charged, and intriguing works that invite reflection and connection. Each drawing is an expression of passion, healing, and the extraordinary beauty found in everyday existence. I hope those who view my work can feel that passion, find meaning in the contrast, and see a reflection of their own emotions within it.

My series, The Illuminated Rhetoric, brings together Pathos, Ethos, and Logos, connecting the human figure with glowing forms and flowing movement. Pathos received Second Place at the 2026 SCAA Art at the Avenue Juried Exhibition.

I create original charcoal drawings and offer select works as hand-signed, numbered limited-edition fine art prints.