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James J. Kelly

Date of Death: August 29, 2018

Date of Birth: April 7, 1933

Biography:

BRUNSWICK - James J. Kelly died on the 29th of August 2018 from natural causes in the town of Brunswick, state of Maine. He was 85 years old. Jim was born in Glen Cove, L.I. New York, the fourth child of the late John M. Kelly and Esther Martina (Svenson) Kelly.

He graduated from Glen Cove H.S., Glen Cove, N.Y., The State University of New York, New Paltz, N.Y. with a B.S. in art education (with distinction) and an M.A. in art and art history from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. He served in the US Army in the U.S. and Japan from 1953 - 1955. From 1959 -1962 he taught sculpture, design, and art history at Blackburn College, Carlinville, Illinois, and from 1962 at Kutztown University, College of Fine Arts teaching sculpture, dimensional design, and art history, retiring in 1990, as Emeritus professor of Fine Arts. While living in Pennsylvania he exhibited his art in singular, regional, and national shows and collections. Jim also was artist in residence, with his family, at the Ossabaw Island Foundation - 1966-1967, a sea island off the Atlantic coast at Savannah, GA, and in 1970 had a research sabbatical into Contemporary Art in Sweden.

Jim authored various articles on art and the text, "The Sculptural Idea," first published in 1970 and subsequently through four editions. While living in Pennsylvania he was commissioned for three large architectural sculptures. From 1993 - 2014 the family resided in Wolfeboro, N.H.

James is survived by his loving, wonderful, and tolerant wife of 61 years, Beverly Ann (Neer) Kelly; daughter, Jamison Ream of Brunswick, ME; daughter, Julianne Lopez of Hudson, OH; and son, David Kelly of St. Croix, USVI and Isle au Haut, ME; seven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

A private service will be held for family and friends at a later date.