Visual Artist + Painter
About
The
Artist
Artist Bio
Jean Keller was born and raised on a barrier island at the southern-most tip of the state of New Jersey. She earned a BFA in Communication Design in 1978 from Kutztown University in PA. Upon graduation, she was immediately recruited to her first job in advertising. She followed her dream, packed herself up, and moved to Boston, MA. This is where she spent an award-winning career with some of the biggest names in advertising. She maintains a boutique design studio when she's not painting.
Now devoting more time to the fine art of oil painting, she’s still in New England, but has moved closer to the coast and now lives and works in beautiful Bristol, RI — still reaching for the stars.
Jean enjoys painting a variety of subjects but especially enjoys the challenge of painting animal portraits, the figure, and mesmerizing movement of the sea and skies. Her work has been shown in local museums, galleries and alternate venues. She recently won Best in Show at Camelback Gallery, AZ for her painting entitled "Small Wonder".
She was a Signature Member of the National Association of Women Artists (NY, MA chapters), an Elected Artist Member of the American Artists Professional League (AAPL), an award-winning member of National Oil and Acrylic Painters (NOAPS), a juried member of the Oil Painters of America. Her membership also supports several other professional art groups including The Guild of Boston Artists and the Rockport Art Association.
Artist Statement
I want my viewer to engage and connect with my work on an emotional level. I like to think they see my figures breathe and my oceans move. There’s never a hidden agenda. I would categorize my art as relaxed realism with traditional roots.
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Awards
2026 Finalist (Int'l) Amazing Animals Camelback Gallery
2025 BEST IN SHOW (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2025 Silver Award (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2024 Semi-Finalist 96th Grand Nat'l Exhibition APPL
2024 Living+Breathing/Distinction (Int'l) Gallery 4%
2024 Faces and Features/Distinction (Int'l) Gallery 4%
2024 Portraiture/Bronze (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2023 Animal Portraiture/Honor (Int'l) Artist Network
2023 Animal Portraiture/Bronze (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2023 Juried Oils/Finalist (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2022 Award of Excellence Nat'l Oil & Acrylics Painters Society
2022 Top 25 Oil on Canvas Nat'l Assoc. of Women Artists
2022 Suzanne Hassel Award Warren Art Festival, Warren RI
2021 Best of 2021 Finalist (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2021 Realistic Landscape Bronze (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2021 Animal Portraiture Bronze (Int'l) Camelback Gallery
2021 Summer Beaches Top 40 (Int'l) Art Preservation Initiative
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Selected Juried Group Exhibitions:
2026 Summer Showcase Oil Painters of America
2026 Associates Exhibition Nat'l Oil & Acrylics Painters Society
2026 ArtNight (featured artist) Bristol/Warren, Bristol RI
2026 Shades of Green Spring Bull Gallery
2026 Spring Showcase Oil Painters of America
2026 Members Juried Exhibition Am. Artists Professional league
2025 Fall Showcase Oil Painters of America
2025 Associates Exhibition Nat'l Oil & Acrylics Painters Society
2025 Members Juried Exhibition Am. Artists Professional League
2025 Juried show: "Coastal Beauty" RI Watercolor Society
2024 96th Grand Nat'l Exhibition Am. Artists Professional League
2024 Juried Members Show Bristol Art Museum, Bristol RI
2024 Associates Exhibition Nat'l Oil & Acrylics Painters Society
2023 Associates Exhibition Nat'l Oil & Acrylics Painters Society
2023 Spring Showcase Spring Bull Gallery
2022 Fall Showcase Oil Painters of America
2022 Juried Members Bristol Art Museum
2022 Summer Showcase Oil Painters of America
2022 Spring Showcase Oil Painters of America
2021 Fall Showcase Oil Painters of America
2021 ArtNight (featured artist) Bristol/Warren, Bristol RI
2021 Summer Showcase Oil Painters of America
2021 Spring Showcase Oil Painters of America
2021 Art in Bloom Linden Place, Bristol, RI
2021 Spring Fever Spring Bull Gallery, Newport, RI
2021 Fakes and Forgeries Spring Bull Gallery, Newport, RI
2020 Fall Showcase Oil Painters of America
2020 Little Picture Show Spring Bull Gallery, Newport, RI
2020 The Great Outdoors Medford Art Center, Medford, NJ
2020 Annual Art by the Bay Duxbury Art Association, Duxbury MA
2020 ArtNight (featured artist) Bristol/Warren, Bristol RI
2019 Cold Snap Bristol Art Museum, Members Show, Bristol RI
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Professional Affiliations and Memberships
Signature Member National Society of Women Artists
Elected Artist Member American Artists Professional League
Associate Member Oil Painters of America, American Society of Marine Artists, Guild of Boston Artists and National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society.
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Education
1974-1978 BFA, Communication Design, minor in Art History, Kutztown University, PA
Classical painting classes/workshops under the direction of:
Jennifer Gennari (Drawing America, NYC)
Julie Beck (Academy of Realistic Art, Boston, MA)
Eric Johnson (Academy of Realistic Art, Boston, MA)
Don Demers (seascape online workshop)
Sarah Margaret Gibson (classical online workshop)
Bill McLane, Warren, RI (regular open studio)