Crystal Visions

The journey has been tumultuous. Companions have defected. The last recognizable landmark passed ages ago.

Instead of the anticipated oasis, lonely wilderness lies ahead. This unforgiving landscape is traversed only by the longsuffering

This is when the Crystal Vision becomes our necessity.

The knowledge that, somewhere, beauty thrives and abundance exists becomes our sustenance.

Small tokens, busy collecting dust on the shelves of our memories, must be re-examined, held cautiously to the light. We’re spurred forward by these reminders of previous deserts crossed, natural wonders marveled at, and fiercely intimate connections past. 

A hope is ignited. More than that, a silent knowledge.

Beauty beyond our vision lies ahead.

Step forward, courageously, into the wilderness.

Forever in Service to the Muse, -Kelly Ormsby

Leviathan

“When it rises, the mighty are afraid, gripped by terror… Nothing on earth is its equal, no other creature so fearless. It is the proudest. It is the king of beasts.”

     These lines from the book of Job portray a fierce sea monster, the leviathan. Unconquerable, elusive, a dominating force.  Many have drawn physiological comparisons of leviathan to the moral, spiritual, and psychological forces that rage within our minds and souls. Only when grace and vigilant righteousness are prized above all, are we safe from being consumed and destroyed.

This jet black megalodon tooth harkens to the dark abyss and brackish waters of the soul that must be traversed in this earthly life. The lava beads, once molten, signify the purifying fires of the crucible. Rattlesnake bones, the deadly venom of missing the mark and ever present possibility of death in the wilderness.  

Forever in service to the Muse,

-Kelly Ormsby

Sacred Union

Desert Treasures Bouquet - Available at Canyon Road Contemporary Art

    Honor, reverence, and steadfast loyalty are the elements of the heart that must be laid out on the wedding altar. Called to witness this Sacred Union are the people in our lives to whom we commit to be held accountable, and that we can rely on to support us during seasons of turmoil. This ceremony rightfully deserves to be adorned in the most prestigious and symbolic finery.

    Together, Kelly Ormsby and Canyon Road Contemporary Art are pursuing the vision of curating highly symbolic and intentionally crafted wedding components. The highlight of this collection are handmade bridal bouquets. Antler, leather, fringe, and precious stones are thoughtfully arranged to create a bouquet that can be treasured for decades after the wedding day. Small but mighty details are tied into each bouquet. Coyote teeth and rattlesnake remnants remind us that at times, our love must be fought for skillfully with an undying ferocity. Feathers symbolize the comfort we take under the others wing.

   Antlers, feathers, and any other tokens from the bride or groom’s family history can be incorporated into a bouquet if provided in advance. Other available wedding accessories include jewelry and hair adornments for the bride and bridesmaids, boutonnieres for groomsmen, and coffee/drink sleeves for the bridal party/ wedding favors.

                    Forever in service to the Muse,

                                                   -Kelly Ormsby

The Necessity of Self Trust in the Curation of Home

Painting by John Kotlinski. Feathers by Birds.

“The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks. See the line from a sufficient distance, and it straightens itself to the average tendency. Your genuine action will explain itself, and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing. Act singly, and what you have already done singly will justify you now.”

                                                                        -Ralph Waldo Emmerson “Self Reliance”

    These brilliant lines penned by Emmerson are applicable to every action taken, every word spoken, and each item we bring into our lives. As full-time artist I have the opportunity to observe both seasoned art collectors, and new appreciators as they make decisions about which pieces of not only my art, but of many other artists, to integrate into their personal collections. The most beautiful moments are when a match is made in heaven. A client lays eyes on a creation, and is enraptured by the emotion it invokes in the core of their spirit. It is as if they have found a piece of themselves out in the world and experience a new level of wholeness. 

   Though, there is always trouble brewing in paradise. At times, a snake of doubt begins to whisper. “Where will you put it? What if it doesn’t match? Your kids will hate it. And your sister, the one from that big city will give a full critique of your choices with her body language alone.” Upon hearing these silent criticisms, the joy on their face dissipates and they ask for a card so they can spend a few days agonizing whether to trust their own opinion. Fatefully, someone else comes in, says “Hell Yeah! Gimme that.” and takes home the prize to mount on their wall.  By the time the hesitant one works up the gumption to come back and pull the trigger, the opportunity has been lost. 

    The crestfallen look on their face when they realize their vision for the work must be forsaken is troublesome to witness. I take the time to write this because I don’t want to experience that again. I want to see people curate the space around them in a way that is empowering. I am not for impulsive action, but I am for spontaneous admiration. When art moves us at first sight, that is enough. Truly it is enough. (I have been in your sister’s fancy apartment, and her interior decorator got her to buy a greyscale paining of a clown. Your taste may not be better, but I promise, it will not be worse.)

   Your personal taste will be as dynamic as you are. Your own choices may surprise you, much like the accountant who developed a love of roller-derby. But you are still one person, and there will be a notable but almost impossible to articulate consistency that flows through your collection. That thread, is you. 

     Forever in Service to the Muse, 

                                             -Kelly Ormsby 

The Cabinet of Curiosities

A prime example of a Cabinet of Curiosities at Grandview Mercantile in Columbus, OH.

                 A personal museum. Emphasis on muse. Collections like this impressive cabinet from Grandview Mercantile in Columbus Ohio, are impossible to walk past. The oddities inside have a gravity that draws a passerby up to the glass. Human skulls, (some how legal, as a small notecard makes clear), unique crystal formations, and bizarre taxidermy specimens clutter the shelves to create a visual treasure trove. Natural wonders captivate the imagination. 

I left that shop with my arms overflowing with a carved cow skull, African porcupine quills, and skull dice. Not acquiring them wasn’t an option. This proclivity to scoop up neat objects has been a part of my life since I can remember. It has taken years to stop filling my pockets with acorns when I spot them. Though, this tendency has served me well when choosing materials for my creations. 

The jewelry and lifestyle accessories that come out of my studio have components from near and far. Parrot feathers arrive generously in my mailbox from a client who saw my work at a festival. Coyote teeth and crystals are gifted from a woman who is a farmer and happens to be the wife of the man who organizes the Scranton Tattoo Convention. Feathers and antlers appear on my studio doorstep from generous hunters who after harvesting the meat, care to extend the utility of the animal. 

   My real work is orchestrating these history-rich components, with their unique attributes into functional art. I am grateful for everyone who contributes to the fluid “stream of curiosities” that moves through my hands. The experience of interacting with you and the materials is life giving.

Forever in service to the Muse, 

                                       -Kelly Ormsby 

A Sufficient Sacrifice

I integrated a goat horn into this piece to remind us to be steadfast to our principles as if they were sealed in blood.

Hour upon hour, for months I have been listening to compelling lectures about the human condition. One of the most striking questions posed was: “Is your sacrifice bloody enough?” This question posed by Jordan Peterson in his Biblical Series. The idea was posed that in ancient times people reinforced their statements, promises, and intentions by making an animal sacrifice. The gruesomeness and cost of this highly memorable act made keeping their word of utmost priority. This tradition has been left behind, but the seriousness of our devotion to the idea should not erode.

The viper bones are a reference to Matthew 10:16 where we are called to be “Wise as Snakes, Gentle as Doves.

This piece also features the timeless materials of lava and ammonite shell.

Forever in service to the Muse,

-Kelly Ormsby

The Value of Serving the Muse

Art, intentional design, captivating beauty. For a long time I thought of them as glimmering luxuries. But after observation, it has become clear that the experience of these elements is more valuable than I assumed. Pain, violence, destruction, and loss are all guaranteed. Art and craftsmanship illuminate the righteous side of our humanity , as we see our own souls reflected back to us in the greatest works. When people enter a beautiful space, a common exclamation is, “I could live here”. One of the favorite parts of my job is hearing women say “this is so me”, and to watch them stand taller and hold their chin high. May the corridors of your heart be flooded with this dignity. Thank you to all who have made my career possible and who celebrate beauty.

Forever in service to the Muse,

-Kelly Ormsby

Bridled in Beige

       I could never forget the force you were, and to see you bridled now in beige weighs on my heart.


Vibrant red, bold as the bison on your wall. Summertime yellow, holding up Mount Whitney in your strong arms. Your heart, comforting as a Molesworth chair in a fireside lodge. You inspired many, and your influence overflowed into their homes. You shed light on the best in me, and I tried to repay my debt by giving you a summer. Each time I came to see you I wore my finest clothes and held noble posture. I learned all I could from you. Proudly showcase what you love, and the more you will resonate and connect directly with the hearts of others. I admired you.  I studied you.  I wanted to partner with you. 

                Change. Inevitable, but often jolting and uncomfortable. I knew that money and recognition effect you, but I underestimated just how much. Your values shifted. What used to be relied on was slipping away. Your colors faded, one wall at a time. Updating? No. It was the destruction of a legacy, an erasing of your signature.  

         That familiar stranger of my memory comes back when I see you now. We exchange pleasantries, but the warmth I felt for you is now indifference laced with pain. You make me question if everlasting passion is sustainable, or if what I love will always fade to cold ashes and blow away in the winter wind. “Become all that you need.” I have attempted to boot strap myself many times and move on. But I will never be able to replace you.  Your name to me will always be what it once was, The Rockwell Museum of Western Art. 

                     Forever in service to the Muse, 

                                         -Kelly Ormsby