Chamber of Illusions 1977

Ken Kelly made this heroic fantasy scene, *Chamber of Illusions*, with what looks like thin layers of oil paint, glazed, maybe even scrubbed, creating an eerie atmosphere. It’s like a half-remembered dream where Conan battles a dark magician in a shimmering, otherworldly temple. I imagine Kelly starting with a dark underpainting, building up the light and color gradually, letting the figures emerge from the shadows. Check out how the brushstrokes around the central figure are soft, almost blurred, while the spectral glow of the crystal ball is achieved with quick dabs of luminous pigment. What was Kelly thinking when he painted this, summoning this vision? The theatrical drama reminds me of Caravaggio, but with a sword and sorcery twist. It's an amazing demonstration of how an artist engages with history, transforming those influences into something new and incredibly personal. Artists are always having this conversation with one another, across time and space, pushing and inspiring each other to see the world in different ways.