Diarmuid Kelley b. 1972

Diarmuid Kelley is a British painter known for his still life and figurative work, marked by careful brushwork, luminous light and a restrained, contemporary elegance. Born in Stirling and raised in northern England, he studied Fine Art at Newcastle University before completing a Master’s degree at Chelsea College of Art and Design. His still lifes—featuring fruit, glassware, textiles or simple arrangements—combine clarity with atmosphere, placing familiar objects in carefully staged yet quietly expressive settings.

Kelley’s work draws on a long artistic lineage, from the interiors of Vermeer to the measured precision of twentieth-century painters such as Euan Uglow. His reputation has been strengthened through regular exhibitions in London galleries and further afield, as well as coverage in the press, including House & Garden, which has highlighted both his studio practice and his engagement with art-historical precedent. His fragmented compositions, where detail is concentrated in certain areas and edges are left unresolved, have also drawn comparisons with Degas.

Today, Kelley’s still lifes are valued for their balance of visual appeal and painterly intelligence. Their careful orchestration of colour and light makes them at home in interior settings, while his grounding in tradition gives the paintings depth beyond surface charm.