Virgin 2.0 Event In Ybor City Showcases Talent of Youngest Artist, Meghan Kelley

Written by Deborah Bostock-Kelley
459 words

Her space in the newly-renovated Ritz theatre in Ybor City as part of Virgin 2.0, Square One Art, Fashion and Music Showcase on Saturday, December 6th had been purchased since October. The six foot table is finally decorated, covered in framed and non-framed prints and posters, and an open portfolio showcases the original anime-inspired creations by artist Meghan Kelley. Explains Meghan, “It started out being anime and than just developed into something else, AniMeg; I guess it's my own version of Japanese anime.”

Like many of the other local artists surrounding her, this is her first art show. But unlike the other 80+ adult artists displaying their eclectic talents, Meghan is a tenth grader at Lee Academy for Gifted Education who turned 14 only two months before.

And throughout the night, no one who stops by to look at her work and reads the artist descriptive bio that accompanies it believes her. “It's pretty funny. Some people actually think I'm making up my age.” Meghan shrugs. “My Dad is 6'4 and Mom is 6'3. What do they expect?”

Standing nearly 6'2 in stocking feet, Meghan continued to receive incredulous “there's no way you're 14” responses to both her work and height. But by ten pm, continuous smiling, handing out www.byAniMeg.com business cards and a lot of patient waiting pays off. Meghan makes her first sale. This is soon followed by another and another and two original drawings Meghan creates while her customers wait.

Coming from an art background, (her mother is the owner of www.thewriteonecs.com, a home-based graphic/web design company), Meghan comes by the love of design quite naturally and has recently began assisting her mother designing logos and working in other print media.

“She's always been drawing, but she started getting really good about four years ago. She uses shading, light and expression in the eyes that just is so much more advanced than her age. She's always been an extremely gifted kid so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised,” explains Deborah, Meghan's mom. “She started playing in the Paint program on the computer and then I showed her PhotoShop. We got her Manga Art Studio for Christmas and it just took off from there.”

When an email inquiry was sent in the August with a link to her work, event producer, Okesene Tilo could not believe she was a teenager making such “striking work” and invited her to participate as the only non-adult in the Virgin 2.0 event.

After donating part of her proceeds to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the event's charity, Meghan's only goal is to hit the nearest GameStop on her way home from school next week.

Though her talent and height don't reflect it¦. Yes, she is still just a kid.

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