An Illustration & DIY Frame

This was my parent's Christmas present. The graphite illustration is a Rich Kelly original :) It's a scene from the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," my dad's all-time favorite.

In addition to the beautiful illustration, Rich handcrafted the frame with reclaimed gymnasium flooring from our local architectural salvage group Philadelphia Salvage. They have the coolest materials and we love wandering through their Mt Airy store.



Building the frame out of gymnasium flooring was intentional and complimented Rich's illustration perfectly.

In the movie, George Bailey and Mary Hatch meet and dance the Charleston together on a retractable gymnasium floor. While dancing, prankster Freddie opens the gym floor, prompting George and Mary to fall in the swimming pool but continue dancing and eventually draw the entire crowd into the pool. It's a pivotal and lighthearted scene, as well as the catalyst for George Bailey's life to begin.







And this is the piece's resting place in my parents' new home...

skillz: a rich kelly original

Rich Kelly, talented illustrator and boyfriend extraordinaire, just created this Hunter S. Thompson painting/mixed media piece for LA-based Gallery 1988's 'Required Reading' show.




It's so beautiful, incredibly intricate, and just reeking of cool. The same can be said for all his work.



And I'm not alone in adoring this piece. It was snatched up by one lucky soul yesterday before even arriving at the art gallery.