Lonna Kelly

Artist Statement

LonnaKellyStudio.com
[email protected]

Lonna Kelly Studio LLC is a NYS recognized Women Business Enterprise (WBE),
Dutchess County Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA)

STATEMENT
Photography helps me define my life. I’m rarely without a camera and find myself an opportunistic photographer, documenting what I see rather than occasional studio work or things set up in advance. I move between photographing people on the street of nearby cities, events (Women's March NYC, Dinner En Blanc, NYC Dance Parade, Pride March) to photographing the scenery of the Harlem and Hudson Valley.

Experiments with Camera Obscura fascinate me and include installations both with a tented camera obscura and in homes and studios.

Starting in 2016, inspired by the mail art of Ray Johnson, I began a yearly practice of designing a postcard and inviting the public to modify the cards and mail them back to me. The many postcards I’ve received back from my co-creators (many are strangers) have resulted in a remarkable assortment of responses.

Lately I’ve been working on several projects: 24 Hour Project, Roadside Politics, Mannequins, Portals, Liberty and Transitions.

Portals are iridescent orbs appearing throughout photos near an abandoned home, in a graveyard and other locations. The orbs are real, not a double exposure or Photoshop editing. The question here is – are they friendly? Where are they from? Where would I find myself if I could dive in?

In response to current politics and the dire state of the nation in 2026 I am updating the Liberty Series, have participated in Fall of Freedom 25/26, and more to come.

I recently began to photograph new editions to my Liberty series - photographing replicas but also creating, installing, and photographing Liberty Enlightening the World in various locations. Attached to this application are Liberty Asea, Liberty is Angry and Liberty, Pawling.