Steve and Linda Kelley drew a packed crowd for the opening ceremony of their exhibit, “Moments and Memories: A Journey through Light and Shadows” at The Arts Garage. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

Linda and Steve Kelley need not look very far to find inspiration to create images with oil paint on their

canvases. They simply walk the Lake Erie shoreline around their Catawba neighborhood.

“We live in the Cliffs. We just take a walk and find things to paint,” Linda said.

Steve and Linda Kelley turn to Lake Erie for inspiration for their oil paintings. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

The art of Steve and Linda is featured in “Moments and Memories: A Journey through Light and Shadows,” the latest exhibit at The Arts Garage (TAG). The exhibit runs through Monday, April 24.

“We paint separately, but we often talk to each other about our paintings,” Steve said. “We feed off each other and give each other ideas and support.”

He has found unique inspiration in the rocks that roll in off the sprawling Great Lake. She calls him “my rock star.”

“I just love the rocks, and I want other people to see them,” he said.

Lily Miracle of Westlake, the granddaughter of Steve and Linda Kelley, views her grandparents’ art at The Arts Garage in Port Clinton. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

TAG was packed with people who attended their opening ceremony on Friday. The Kelleys have displayed their works together at Magruder’s Healing Wall, but the TAG show is the first full exhibit. A former schoolteacher, Linda added famous inspirational quotes above their paintings at TAG.

“Without the quotes, the displays seemed non-textural. This made them three-dimensional,” she said.

TAG is operated by the Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council. It is located at 317 Perry St., Port Clinton. For information on upcoming exhibits and classes at TAG, visit www.gpcaac.org.