Gretchen Keelty Artist

25/02/2026

A flashback to my first collaborative mural in Lima, Peru with .
The students had to research their local animals in danger of extinction, and why this was happening... what needed to be done to save them.
They gave me a report of their investigation and then it was my turn...
I did the black and white, which they took turns to colour. They also wrote messages on the adjoining wall- a plight to save them!

The confidence boost from seeing their work in public, making a lasting legacy, is always so rewarding and so very important!

Almost 12 years ago... (hard to believe) ... these students are all grown up now... probably working or midway through uni!

07/02/2026

Some photos with some of my favourite people!


Thanks

https://www.myweeklypreview.com.au/ For this week's edition.

23/01/2026

We spent a beautiful morning with some of my favourite people celebrating the magic of community on the Sunshine Coast at 's Australia Day Community Awards.
🤩🤩🤩
Both the Buddina Ocean Chair and I were nominated.
I was totally caught by surprise, honoured and humbled to be awarded the Creative Arts medal for my work over the past few years, sponsored by the
Thank you for the nomination and for this incredible acknowledgment. It really means a lot.
My family, my squad, my creative team, fellow artists, event patrons, participants and Council have all had a huge part to play in bringing these projects and events to fruition.
Making art accessible, celebrating First Nations culture, educating, celebrating creativity and highlighting local ecology is super important to me and I'm delighted that this work is also valued by the judges, Council and community. Thank you!
.com.au thank you for being the DREAM TEAM. 🥳🤩❤️
thank you for all your support and for being my date.
PS My fabulous fish dress is from ! 🤩 (come and see me in the Noosa store! )

28/12/2025

It's meeeeee! In my happy place, my art studio, surrounded by my treasures.
75.5 x 50.5cm
Oil on linen

27/12/2025

Ugh!
Self portrait with natural light...
the storms this week created intermittent DARKNESS.🙄 not even this improvisation was enough and I had to abandon ship twice.
I clearly learnt nothing from the last time I tried to use natural light.... (ie DON'T.😂🙄😩)

The kettlebell was used to keep my easels more vertical to reduce distortion/ avoid up-the-nose angle.
The desk light with drawing wrapped around was stuck on top to light the canvas without lighting my face/reflection.
The two spots were used to boost light from the same direction as the natural light when it faded.... except for during heavy storms. No match for nature.

Then there was the steamy smeary glasses, not to mention rivers of sweat... and visitors.... and guests ... and Christmas in general.😂
The timing was not ideal....

The struggle was real.

But It's ok ....
I got there in the end.🌈

17/12/2025

When your outer world reflects your inner world.

I am so terribly sad, thinking of all my friends and my old neighbours in Bondi. Sending lots of love and wishing I could give them a great big hug.
It's not ok.

For almost a decade, Bondi was my home beach. That was my local community. I volunteered in the Synagogue's charity kitchen when I was rehabilitating myself from PTSD. I swam at that beach daily during summer, walked on it in winter. Many of my friends and neighbours from Bondi are Jewish. It was a real haven for me, a safe place and welcoming, multicultural community.

I am still in disbelief and shock. I can't imagine the families' pain and grief, and how the Jewish community must be feeling.
Sending love to everyone affected, including the frontline workers, now picking up the pieces.
💔💔💔

05/12/2025

It’s up! All the approvals have finally been granted and a fabulous DOCUMENTARY by the talented and generous Dave Matthews from PodSpot is up!!!

A collaborative creative community project by Gretchen Keelty, Mack Muckan / Undumbi Culture, Monte Lupo Arts, Buddina State School, Nick Grivas / Liquid Lyrics, Roxanne McCarty O’Kane / Ignite & Write, Turtle Care Sunshine Coast and Dave Matthews / Podspot.

30/11/2025

What a way to spend a Saturday!!!
🥳🥳🥳
It was a full house-
Full of talented, lovely people who all seem to love objects and art just as much as I do!!
🤩🤩🤩
Thanks for the opportunity to teach this workshop in your awesome new space, upstairs in the Caloundra library. We had a great time.🤩🤩🤩

26/11/2025

Gouache on brown kraft card…
An experiment fraught with difficulties because the paint goes on wet, darkens the paper, then dries an almost unpredictable tone due to the dark colour of the base and semitransparent nature of the paint.🙄🫣😬
I don’t recommend it if you’re trying to be totally precise-you have to keep waiting for layers to dry then readjusting.
Fun nevertheless…
but maybe never again…😬😂

21/11/2025

Cropping….
Playing with composition and changing the narrative.
Chalk pastel on paper.

15/11/2025

🥳 YAY!! Some exciting news! The still life workshop sold out. If you missed out, don’t be sad.
There’s another round of exciting stuff planned for February. It’s something that combines several of my passions (including art).
🌈🌈🌈
You can subscribe to the Sunshine Coast Libraries newsletter so you never miss an opportunity.
They have so much good stuff going on you could fill your calendar with it!
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

03/11/2025

The painting process….
Starting with a beautiful clear-primed European linen and stretchers from ,
I cracked out my new set of ‘s pure bristle brushes🤩.

A sketch in chalk, then the under painting. I made the mistake of using natural light in a week of wildly variable weather 🙄.
Because I knew they would be so short -lived I had to get the flowers finished first, whereas I normally progress “everything at once “.
It was a fun challenge and I used some of my most recently acquired still life objects including a jug and sugar pot from K***a Park.
🌈