Lee Kelly was born in 1932 in McCall, Idaho, grandson of a ranching family located near Riggins. He attended Vanport University and the Portland Art Museum School, now known as Pacific Northwest College of Art.

In 1979, Lee first visited Nepal with his wife, artist Bonnie Bronson. This led to further travels to Asia, Mexico, and Central America during which he explored the art and architecture of these cultures. In 1985, he was awarded an Oregon Arts Commission grant to study the traditional bronze casting methods of the Newari people of the Kathmandu Valley, in Nepal. His collaboration with local Nepali artists lasted several years, and coincided with his interest in high-altitude adventure and mountaineering.

In 1987 he was awarded the Governor's Award for the Arts and in 1992 a Masters Fellowship in Sculpture from the State of Oregon.

His work is represented in numerous public collections, universities, businesses, medical facilities, and private homes and gardens in Oregon, Washington, California, Texas and Virginia. Known for his monumental public artworks, he has continued to adapt to new technologies as they became available.

2008 is the anniversary of fifty years as a working sculptor. Lee divides his time between his sculpture studio in a converted dairy barn on his farm in Oregon City, and the home of his long-time partner, Susan, in Portland.

1932 Born, McCall, Idaho.
1949-51 Attended Vanport University, Portland, Oregon.
1954-59 Portland Art Museum School, Portland, Oregon.
1967-71 Instructor of Art, Mt. Angel College, Mt. Angel, Oregon.
1976-79 Visiting Professor of Art, Reed College, Portland, Oregon.
1979 First visit to Nepal and India.
1985 Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship, research bronze casting methods of the Newari of Nepal.
1987 Oregon Governor's Award for the Arts
1992 Masters Fellowship in Sculpture, State of Oregon.
1994 Travels in Cambodia and Thailand.
1995 Visiting artist to Sapporo, Japan, part of Portland-Sapporo Sister City
2000 Travel to Burma and Nepal
2003 Travel to Anasazi sites, American Southwest.
2004 Travel to India & Sri Lanka
2005 Travel to Patagonia, Argentina & Chile
2006 Travel to Haida sites, Queen Charlotte Islands
2006 Travel to Japan: Kyoto, Naoshima, Tokyo.
2008 Travel to New Zealand.

Selected Public & Corporate Collections and Commissions (2000 to present):

2009 Steel sculpture; Evergreen High School, Vancouver WA. Commission by Washington State Arts Commission.

2008 Wall sculpture, stainless steel; West Port Physical Therapy, Portland OR.

2007 Howard's Way, stainless steel sculpture with color insets; The Civic, Portland OR.

2006 Loowit. painted steel sculpture; Legacy Hospital, Vancouver WA.

2005 Fish Ladder, a sculptural fish ladder for Blue Lake, Central Oregon. In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Stainless steel sculpture (two parts); Meridian Park Hospital, Tualatin OR.
Angkor Weep, stainless steel sculpture; Quimby Welding, Portland OR.

2002 Box Loft, stainless steel with light; Box and One Lofts, Portland OR (Fletcher, Farr, Ayotte, architects). Lava Ridge and Four Columns; Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA. Re-siting of Akbar's Garden; University of Oregon School of Architecture, Eugene OR, (formerly at Claremont Hotel, Berkeley CA).

2001 Lupin Fugue; Oregon Garden, Silverton OR.

Submitted by Matthew Weseley, whose source is the website of the artist