The Brown County Museum of History has recently acquired a special painting by a special local artist, H.O. Kelly.

The history of the unsigned, untitled painting — simply known as Untitled Farm Scene — is not known.  But recently it was included in a group sale of household items.  The Museum was contacted, had the painting appraised by an art expert, and confirmed that it is in fact a painting by H.O. Kelly, from Blanket.  Museum Director Kendall Howard commented “We talked about it at a Board Meeting.  We really wanted to be able to bring it home to Brown County.  We wanted to share it and tell the H.O. Kelly story.”  The Museum raised the funds and purchased the painting.

Harold Osman Kelly was born in Ohio in 1884, and grew up mostly in Michigan.  As a young man he began learning how to farm and ranch.  He lived in many states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, Wyoming, and eventually, Texas.  Over his life Kelly worked as a handyman, farmer, cowhand, sheepherder, as well as a horse wrangler and trader.  In the 1940’s he retired from this hard work while living in Blanket, Texas with his wife and daughter.

Through the years H.O. Kelly’s pastime hobby was painting pictures.  After retiring from his farm and ranch work, his wife suggested that he spend more time doing just that, so he did.  A signboard at the display in the Museum states “Kelly had gift for storytelling in word and paint.  He remembered places and events in his life in minute detail.  Two weeks before his death, he wrote to a friend that he had ‘always been quite observant of natural phenomena.’  It showed.”

His first sale of seven paintings for $100 started Kelly on a path as a professional artist.  He painted scenes that he remembered from his days of working on farms and ranches — rural scenes that feature farm houses, barns, cowboys and cowgirls, livestock, green pastures and blue skies, rural churches, rivers, and even horse races.

One day Kelly approached Charles Stewart, art professor at Howard Payne College.  Again, signage at the museum display describes the encounter:  “Art Professor Charles Stewart of Howard Payne College (now University) in Brownwood was from a ranching family in Blanket known to H.O. Kelly.  Unannounced one day, Kelly stopped by his classroom to seek his opinion on the best shipping method for oil paintings.  Stewart was flabbergasted by what he saw:  a natural painter whose untrained talent could not be denied.”  Stewart began to encourage and promote Kelly, with success.  Over the years, Kelly’s paintings were displayed at the Dallas Museum of Art, the State Fair of Texas, the Amon Carter Museum of Art in Fort Worth, Texas A&M University, and even in Europe under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution.  Francis Henry Taylor, once Director of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, commented that Kelly was “one of the few genuine primitive painters we have had in our country.”

When the Brown County Museum of History acquired the painting, it was in rough condition.  The surface had layers of grime and soot, and the varnish layer had turned dark, all of which made it difficult to see the painting in detail.  The Museum sent the painting to art conservator Scott Jennings in San Antonio.  Jennings carefully cleaned the painting to remove the surface contaminants.  He then removed the canvas from a paper board that it was attached to, re-mounted it on a new, stable support, and placed it back in the frame.  Kendall Howard said “We have been able to incorporate conservation and restoration of art within the display.”  The display at the Museum has a video that shows the restorative process.

Dion White, Board President of the Museum, commented “The Museum was thrilled to acquire this painting.  A donation by Dr. Paul and Toni Burns made it possible.”  Kendall Howard is very excited to have this H.O. Kelly painting on permanent display in the Brown County Museum of History:  “I think it is inspiring because he (Kelly) accomplished his love of art, and was able to share it, later-on in life.  A lot of people think you have to do everything when you are younger, but you don’t.  I think his story really shows that.  We are thrilled to be able to share his story.”

A portrait of H.O. Kelly appears on the exterior of the Museum building, along with several other Brown County luminaries.  The Brown County Museum of History is located at 209 North Broadway in Brownwood, and open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m.  For more information call 325-641-1926.