Framed 8"x10" Museum-Quality Print
"Who Patrons the Modern Renaissance?"
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.
Archival ink on 8"x10" museum grade giclée, printed on smooth matte 110 lb environmentally conscious FSC-certified paper. Arrives ready-to-hang, including a hanging installation kit. The frame is made of durable pine and it features shatterproof acrylic to protect the print.
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.
"Donatello in Data Entry"
Renaissance artist Donatello, born Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, began learning sculpture at just 14 years old. As he aged he became more eccentric and was so impassioned he would rather smash his sculptures than sell them to ignorant clients. The protection afforded to him by Cosimo Medici emboldened him to make “David”, an Old Testament hero, nude and cast in bronze. Such homoerotic art would have ruined an artist without the power of the Medici family behind him. How many modern day Donatellos are aggregating data and organizing spreadsheets instead of pushing boundaries?
This series was created as a love letter to Fede and all other artists who never got the recognition they deserved.
On display at The Portsmouth Arts & Cultural Center in Portsmouth Virginia through October 2026.
Thank you for being part of art’s resurgence.
