KELLY SULLIVAN

Finger Smears, a collaborative painting process in which multiple hands work one large canvas without the use of brushes. As her fame spread, so did the level of participants, including Edie Falco, Carol Burnett, Harrison Ford, and Springsteen himself.

Sullivan now works in western New Jersey, where she maintains an open studio. “My studio has been open to the public for a decade,” she says. “It’s a warm, creative environment on the third floor above the People’s Store Design Center. I’ve met great clients over the years, and I love that part.”

GLOBAL ART
Sullivan has also brought her talents to aspiring young artists and was invited to an artist in residency program at a school in Alta, Wyoming, where she developed an integrated art exchange with seven schools worldwide. In addition, she has utilized art to empower adolescent girls through her program Mighty Fingers Facing Change (MFFC), which she has produced in dozens of locations worldwide.

Having made a name for herself, Sullivan also caught the attention of corporate clients, who have commissioned her to create works in conjunction with their employees. “If I am creating a customized piece of art for a corporate client, it’s a very collaborative process,” she says.

 “We talk about what they want, the message they are trying to convey, where the piece will hang, and how many employees will participate. I submit concept sketches based on our conversations, then the client and I work together to arrive at a piece of art we both love, and we are all inspired to build. It’s a fun process for all of us,” she says. 

“Artists have the power, and in some ways, the responsibility to create work for social change and to inspire others to do the same. Unfortunately, deciphering the truth has become so difficult that many feel the need to retreat to something basic and reliable. While that can be comforting, it stops us from confronting some of the pressing issues that we face as a society. Sullivan’s workshops and presentations speak to a present need for connectedness, creativity, and compassion.” The artist continued to tell us that artists are also inquisitive. “They are open to experimentation and choose discovery over conquer and beauty over the battle.”

REIMAGINING IS THE KEY
However, the battle to save beauty has manifested in her quest to restore the Strand Theater, located near her studio in Lambertville. The theater was gutted by a fire in 1969, then purposed as a warehouse for the next five decades. Sullivan’s vision is to renovate the Strand into a multi-purpose arthouse. “Once it’s completed, I will be collaborating on several projects with other artists involved and producing work at the Strand. We will also be hosting corporate groups who want an important level of professional artistic infusion into their meetings.”

The space will be designed to host events and client meetings in a highly creative environment combined with visual, musical, and performance arts, uniquely meeting clients’ needs in a completely tailored way. The reborn Strand Arts will be nearly 5,000 square feet and will be will be designed and renovated with state-of-the-art technology with broadcast capabilities, providing exponential possibilities as a destination setting with elevated conference space for Lambertville and surrounding area businesses.

Artists, like everyone, also need to get away and unplug. For Sullivan, it means exploring nature and traveling. “I get into my campervan and take off to paint a bit.

If I cannot take off in the van, I just put down my computer. I must do that. I also love to cook for friends, and I am excited about the return of the dinner party post-COVID. I hope to resume international travel again next year.”

Sullivan cites her passions as “nature, fresh air, the smell of the ocean, good food, funny people, making things, dancing and great art. But most importantly, my family.”

For more information on Kelly Sullivan,
visit kellysullivanart.com