Work samples

  • Overwhelmed
    Overwhelmed
    This piece is inspired by song lyrics, that really spoke to the feeling of my anxiety. The stitches on lips help convey the analyzation and inability to speak. Being trapped within yourself, and struggling to fight your own mind. watercolor, charcoal, colored pencil, paper, wood panel, varnish
  • Secret Anticipation
    Secret Anticipation
    The nightingale was chosen for the symbolic connection to love, secrets and anticipation. This piece is more so about secrets kept from myself, and the anticipation of unlocking them with love. An attempt to heal and discover myself after all of the pain. watercolor, charcoal, ink, paper, wood panel, varnish
  • Self Harm
    Self Harm
    I often have thoughts and actions of self harm. This piece shows very visually how those thoughts manifest in my mind. Though my acts of self harm have yet to escalate to the severity depicted. It's still a small glimpse into what plays in my head during dark times. alcohol ink, charcoal, colored pencil, acrylic, paper, wood panel, varnish
  • Won't Go Back
    Won't Go Back
    I recently had a severe flashback, that left me crying repeating, "I can't go back" and I wanted to work through that feeling of being dragged back into that space I so desperately didn't want to return to. Of clawing at the edges trying to stay out. I used this piece to work through those feelings, and I brought myself to a sense of empowerment. Which is why the title is "Won't Go Back" because I know I'm safe now and I never have to return to that place. watercolor, paper, charcoal, acrylic, wood panel, varnish

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About Rice

Baltimore County  

Rice McKelvin is a mixed media portrait artist that lives in the Baltimore area. Their passion for art history and pop culture influences their work. Their unique experiences have left them with PTSD,  that they choose to draw inspiration from. Art started as a way for Rice to cope with abuse and has grown to aid in their recovery from it. Their artwork has always represented personal hope for the future, and now helps them solidify and explore the progress they have… more

View Rice's Resume
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Illustration

I am currently working in a mix of media. Mainly using charcoal to render the likeness of my subject. I add color with paints and inks to build a base and add layers to the finished work. Creating a greater sense of depth and a unique combination of realism, action painting, and pop art. I am influenced by an avid interest in art history and pop culture. I am exploring personal connections and experiences in the themes of my work.

  • Afternoon Fae
    Afternoon Fae

    fairy reclining on a mushroom; watercolor, acrylic, charcoal, colored pencil, paper, wood panel, varnish

    Available for Purchase
  • Woodland Faun
    Woodland Faun

    Woodland fae creature; watercolor, acrylic, charcoal, colored pencil, paper, wood panel, varnish

    Available for Purchase
  • Grasping
    Grasping

    Bloody hands reaching out to the dark; watercolor, acrylic, ink, charcoal, paper, wood panel, varnish

  • Hell's Reverie
    Hell's Reverie

    Wier wishes to make you part of the crew of the Event Horizon; watercolor, charcoal, paper, wood panel, varnish

    Available for Purchase
  • Celeste
    Celeste

    Celeste an elf druid, explains the plan of attack; watercolor, charcoal, acrylic, colored pencil, paper wood panel varnish

    Available for Purchase
  • Artemis
    Artemis

    Goddess of the hunt; watercolor, charcoal, acrylic, colored pencil, paper wood panel varnish

    Available for Purchase
  • Neuromancer
    Neuromancer
    Cyberpunk Captain of the guard, strong and protective watercolor, charcoal, acrylic, paper, wood panel, varnish
  • Sea Witch
    Sea Witch

    The witch that controls the seas. watercolor, paper, charcoal, acrylic, colored pencil, wood panel, varnish

    Available for Purchase
  • Angelic Storm
    Angelic Storm
    An angel holding her own in a metallic storm. watercolor, charcoal, acrylic, varnish, paper, wood panel
  • Goblin Energy
    Goblin Energy

    A potion to give you that extra boost of chaos: Goblin Energy. alcohol ink, watercolor, acrylic, charcoal, hotpress paper, yupo paper, wood panel, varnish

    Available for Purchase
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    • Work exploring abuse and trauma

    A collection of work exploring my past abuse, trauma and mental illness

    • Loving Hammers
      Loving Hammers
      I know you can’t expect someone else to help put your pieces back together when you’re broken. Or at least I know that now. However I seemed to have had the habit of looking for someone with glue and finding more hammers instead. I’m fragile, and I think if I just love them enough I won’t get hurt. But they’re hammers and I’m fragile. That’s not a good mix and I’m just going to end up more broken in the end. This piece is me saying as much I love the hammers and seeing how they can be used to build amazing things, they’re not for me. And that’s ok. I’m going to make my own glue and put my pieces back together, and share the new version of me with those that are more compatible with who I am. No matter how much glue I put on myself I’m still going to be fragile and I can’t keep loving those hammers.
      Available for Purchase
    • Choice of Life
      Choice of Life
      I have a lot of feelings when it comes to abortion rights. With this piece I wanted to show that sometimes abortion is about making the choice for life. Abortion has saved my life. But also it’s my body, so I should be able to choose what happens to it. I can decide if my organs get donated after I die, or if my body is used to nourish the earth. I should have the right to choose what happens to my body while I’m alive. So this piece is illustrating my choice of life, the only life I want springing for from my body. That’s my choice, this is my life, I choose to live.
    • Overwhelmed
      Overwhelmed
      This piece is inspired by song lyrics, that really spoke to the feeling of my anxiety. The stitches on lips help convey the analyzation and inability to speak. Being trapped within yourself, and struggling to fight your own mind. watercolor, charcoal, colored pencil, paper, wood panel, varnish
      Available for Purchase
    • Self Harm
      Self Harm
      I often have thoughts and actions of self harm. This piece shows very visually how those thoughts manifest in my mind. Though my acts of self harm have yet to escalate to the severity depicted. It's still a small glimpse into what plays in my head during dark times. alcohol ink, charcoal, colored pencil, acrylic, paper, wood panel, varnish
      Available for Purchase
    • Won't Go Back
      Won't Go Back
      I recently had a severe flashback, that left me crying repeating, "I can't go back" and I wanted to work through that feeling of being dragged back into that space I so desperately didn't want to return to. Of clawing at the edges trying to stay out. I used this piece to work through those feelings, and I brought myself to a sense of empowerment. Which is why the title is "Won't Go Back" because I know I'm safe now and I never have to return to that place. watercolor, paper, charcoal, acrylic, wood panel, varnish
      Available for Purchase
    • Secret Anticipation
      Secret Anticipation
      The nightingale was chosen for the symbolic connection to love, secrets and anticipation. This piece is more so about secrets kept from myself, and the anticipation of unlocking them with love. An attempt to heal and discover myself after all of the pain. watercolor, charcoal, ink, paper, wood panel, varnish
    • Depression Hole Climb
      Depression Hole Climb
      I always talk about my depression as being like a hole. When it's deep you can't see light or a way out. But when things are starting to get better you may be able to see light and the way out. You can see the hope and a way to climb. This piece is about my climb out of the hole. And one of the colors I usually see first when I start coming out is green. So green is my color of hope. ink, acrylic, charcoal, hotpress paper, yupo paper, wood panel
    • Safe
      Safe
      Overall I just want to feel safe, that is my goal. I've been through so much and been hurt by people I wanted to love me. By people I thought loved me or was supposed to love me. watercolor, charcoal, ink, acrylic, paper, varnish wood panel
    • Broken
      Broken
      This piece features a phrase I said out loud, while being berated in text. It was an intense moment, and I felt so hopeless. I just wanted it all to stop. But I wasn't strong enough to actually write it out at the time. I used this piece to take ownership of those words and put them into the world. To finally take a stand for myself and reclaim that moment.
    • Past Remembered
      Past Remembered
      I spent most of my life knowing my grandmother was dying. She was the family I was closest too for the longest time. All of my significant family members spent most of my life in poor health. That is a trauma in and of it self. To love someone so fiercely and know that your time with them is limited. I used to wear her ring, and I still have a fondness for yellow roses even now. They were her favorite and always remind me of her. This piece was done in remembrance and acknowledgement of how significant she was and still is in my life. acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, colored pencil, paper, wood panel, varnish
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