ROFFS™ Artist of the Year

At ROFFS™ we annually select an artist that we would like to feature as our “Artist of the Year.” The purpose of this honor is to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with relatively new and up and coming artists in the marine community. We select artists based on a variety of objective and subjective criteria. Previous recipients have been Don Ray, Steve Goione, Cary Chen, Kevin Brant, Barry Barnett, Daniel Jean-Baptiste, Mark Ray, Tony Ludovico, Judy Shillingburg, Larry Rackley, David Mellor, Dustin Cole, Dennis Friel and Adrian E. Gray. This year, the ROFFS™ “artist of the year 2017-2018” is Kelly Reark.

We feature an “Artist of the Year” this to support relatively new and exciting marine artists. We hope the samples of their art will make our website a more interesting place to visit. We hope that it will promote the artist and their art in that our web visitors will tell other people about the art and generate sales for the artist. ROFFS™ does not get a commission or any direct financial benefit from this. We do not charge any fee for anything or ask for commission on any sales we bring to the artist. Any sales derived from our “Artist of the Year” site belong to the artist. We will not take orders, but instead refer people to the artist’s website directly. This is clearly shown.

Meet our 2017-2018 ROFFS™ Artist of the Year – Kelly Reark

Award-winning marine artist Kelly Reark draws much of her inspiration from fishing in Boca Grande and Chokoloskee. Growing up in an adventurous family provided endless opportunities while fishing and hunting to explore her native Florida. What started as poking about oyster bars and mud flats grew into her degree from the University of Miami.

Pursuing her creative passion, Kelly uses her art and marine biology background together to advocate for sustainability, ecosystem management, and conservation of resources. “My mission is to motivate people to think about what they do, and act accordingly to preserve creatures and habitats for the enjoyment of all,” Kelly explains, “Borrowing the earth from our future is a phrase that has taken on an even deeper meaning since having my own boys.”

Kelly’s work is both bright and nostalgic for that reason. She paints silks, creates “tattooed” fiberglass fish and paints traditional canvas works. The tattooed pieces are an indelible reminder that the permanence of our unique wildlife depends on the effectiveness of our efforts to be sustainable and responsible. Kelly has created work on many species from sea turtles to bonefish. Tarpon continue to be the most popular mount. Sepia toned paintings and fish mounts have become her sought-after trademark style. “Sepia tones look like woodcarving or scrimshaw in the way that I apply the paint,” Kelly says, “And I like the challenge of incorporating full color expressions of light, water and texture with that timeless style.”

Since 2002, Kelly has exhibited work in conjunction with fishing tournaments, galleries, invitational or juried fine art festivals and more. You’ve seen her artwork represent Harley-Davidson, the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, and the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament. Her work has been published in books, magazines and newspapers, and is on display in both private collections and public spaces.

Contact Kelly for custom orders, scheduling, or questions that you may have via email or through her website – kellyreark.com.

Sample photos of Kelly Reark’s work are shown below – thumbnails zoom when clicked on…