Chamber of Illusions 1977

Ken Kelly made "Chamber of Illusions", and I think he made it as a painting. Look at how Kelly builds this space with color, moving from hot oranges and reds to cooler blues and greens. It feels like he's layering emotional temperatures. You can almost feel the brushstrokes, they’re not trying to hide. I love the way the light catches on the orb in the center. It's almost like a little sun, casting its glow on everything around it. And the way the figures are rendered, with such strong lines and dramatic shadows, reminds me a bit of comic books. This piece feels like a conversation with earlier illustrators like Frank Frazetta, but with Kelly's own sense of drama. It's about capturing a moment, but also about creating a whole world of feeling. The details are kind of like thoughts, they're always changing as you look.