I have used my success to bring goodness to the world by giving people a piece of art that rings something true and deep within their hearts. Allowing them to have a treasure of something that resembles something very special in their lives. People feel really happy when they receive a personalized piece of jewelry that resembles a loved one — this happiness creates a ripple effect and spreads so much goodness into the world.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing Rhys Kelly.
Driven by a fascination with the infinite possibilities and the freedom of expression in eyes, Rhys Kelly’s art is meant to celebrate the intriguing, unique perspective of the individual. She quickly evolved her hyper-personalized artistic vision into a business, as she developed her talents at a Special FX trade school in Pennsylvania where she mastered prosthetic eyeballs to create sculptures and jewelry. Rhys’ works are available for wear as a necklace or ring ($100-$200) or as an installation.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in South Florida with parents who never dimmed by artistic expression. My parents always allowed me to share my artistic expression at a very young age. Whether it was painting on the walls or taking art class, my parents were always super supportive. This allowed me to have a safe space to express myself and hone in on my craft at a very young age.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
Many little events took place to lead me to this specific career path. Eyeballs have always intrigued me, but I never thought they would be involved in my career path. Once I learned the process of creating prosthetic eyeballs, it inspired me to make eyeball jewelry and art pieces. I originally made eyeball jewelry and art just for fun and for myself, but eventually, I had many people inquiring about custom pieces. Once this began, I knew this could be a serious career path for me.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Till this day, it still blows my mind that I’ve gotten my jewelry into the hands of so many celebrities and well known people. I don’t have one most interesting story, but I find it interesting that if you put your mind and heart into accomplishing a goal, it will happen.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I think the most exciting projects I have worked on thus far are the bigger installation art pieces. Those pieces continue to blow my mind everyday…the process of the Drippy Eye Stand was so interesting from start to finish and taught me so much about patience and dedication.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
This career path has led me to meet quite a few interesting people. My favorite people to meet are genuine customers because they are all so supportive and encouraging towards my art. It was also pretty cool getting to hand deliver a jewelry piece to Noah Centineo’s house!
Where do you draw inspiration from? Can you share a story about that?
I draw inspiration from many different avenues. My main source of inspiration are the patterns found in nature. Everything in nature is so perfectly designed and it continues to inspire me everyday.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I have used my success to bring goodness to the world by giving people a piece of art that rings something true and deep within their hearts. Allowing them to have a treasure of something that resembles something very special in their lives. People feel really happy when they receive a personalized piece of jewelry that resembles a loved one — this happiness creates a ripple effect and spreads so much goodness into the world.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1. Don’t overthink things
2. You can start your business with barely any money
3. Listen to your gut and what inspires YOU
4. Just because someone shares their opinion doesn’t mean you need to take it
5. The small steps make up the big goals
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
This sounds pretty generic, but if I could inspire a movement, it would just be to spread more kindness. The smallest gestures can make a person’s day, whether it be a compliment or a genuine smile… I believe an act of kindness towards a stranger a day can create a beautiful ripple effect into the world.
We have been blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she just might see this.
Sharing a meal with Yoshitomo Nara would be a dream come true! I’d love to take a trip into his mind and hear all the stories he has to share about the start of his art career and all that inspires him!
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
@rhyskellyofficial
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Rhys Kelly: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.