Jeweler/artist? Or Artist/jeweler? The answer is yes, Bernard Kelly is both. With a technique inspired by the textures, forms, and light of the natural world, Bernard has created an extraordinary portfolio of work in gold, silver, and bronze spanning six decades.
Drawn to the craft of metal sculpture and jewelry making as a young man growing up in New York City, Bernard spent his formative years in Greenwich Village. There, in the burgeoning art scene of the 1950s and 60s, he found his calling and began honing his craft.
When an auto accident at the age of 19 left him seriously injured and facing a long recuperation, Bernard filled his hours by “hanging around” the Washington Square Outdoor Art Show. There, local artists provided encouragement and inspired him to take his next steps: studying under Ada Hustad Anderson at the Crafts Student League, and then going to work for a casting company on 47th Street in Manhattan’s jewelry district, where he refined his technical and model-making skills. In 1962, Bernard opened his first retail shop and studio on Sullivan Street in Greenwich Village.
With a move to Cape Cod in 1964, Bernard found a new world of inspiration in the coastal landscape. He established an enduring reputation as a fine artist, showcasing his work in the area’s premier galleries. He managed his own retail shops and design studio, and also directed an apprentice program for many artists who are now internationally recognized gold and silversmiths, including Tom Odell, Michael Baksa, and Ross Coppelman.
New vistas and landscapes became Bernard’s inspiration when he and his wife, Deborah, moved to Tucson, Arizona in 2003. There, he opened a retail store and design studio and his handcrafted creations reflected the native light and climate of this desert environment.
Bernard is proud to bring his original designs back home to the Cape, where he is continually creating an array of jewelry and custom belt buckles in his Falmouth studio. He invites you to contact him to view existing products or to discuss a custom design.
