Signed Limited 16"x20" Museum-Quality Print
If you are someone who believes art is meaningful work that connects our lived experiences, help me usher in the modern renaissance. You make survival without a patron possible.
Signed limited 1/50 First Edition prints. Archival ink on 16"x20" museum grade giclée, printed on smooth matte 110 lb environmentally conscious FSC-certified paper.
From the Series: "Who Patrons the Modern Renaissance?"
In a world of corporate profit prioritization, who is going to usher in the next Renaissance? The Medici family brought Florence Italy to the forefront of art, culture, and business with their willingness to invest in the arts and education. This positioned the family and city as allies to the arts and scholars. The perks of being a friend of the Midicis could include lodging, working studios, education, social currency, and even a hefty pay day. Their influence was a defining feature in many of the most significant careers of the Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more. The family’s resources and connections could catapult an artist to unseen heights.
Unfortunately, without the power of a patron like the Medici family, even the best artists failed to garner the recognition they deserved. Lesser known Italian Renaissance painter Fede Galizia was one of the earliest and most iconic practitioners in the fruit Still Life genre. Galizia’s paintings were captivatingly detailed, visually balanced, with an unparalleled attention to shadow, light, and texture. However, without the access to court-oriented or aristocratic social circles she struggled to gain the acknowledgment her art deserved. As an homage to Fede Galizia’s incredible and under-appreciated work, multidimensional artist Ellie Kay, created this low contrast digital photography still life series that primarily features fruit and the calla lily; a symbol of resilience.
Da Vinci in a Drive-Thru
Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci spent his early years in Florence in workshops and studying in the Medici structural gardens. Would he have gone on to create “The Last Supper” or “The Mona Lisa” without those experiences? How many modern day Leonardos are stuck in fast food windows asking if you want ketchup with your order?
This series was created as a love letter to Fede and all other artists who never got the recognition they deserved.
Other works from this series on display at The Portsmouth Arts & Cultural Center in Portsmouth Virginia through October 2026
Thank you for being part of art’s resurgence.
