about kelly

Kelly Toon is based in Louisville, Kentucky, where she lives with her husband Justin and two remarkable cats; an Airedale Terrier puppy is expected to join the group in mid-2010.  In addition to the arts, Kelly’s interests include economics, animal and human behavior, metaphysics, early American history, and westerns. Some of her personal heroes include Carl Jung, Ludwig Von Mises, Ron Paul, Larry McMurtry, and most importantly, her family.

Born October 22nd, 1984 in Wichita, Kansas, Kelly grew up in Riverside, California, and Prescott, Arizona. Before moving to Louisville in 2001, Kelly lived on the family farm in rural southeastern Kansas. She attended Seneca High school in Louisville until 2003, excelling in literature, history, and the arts.

Kelly’s first job was airbrushing t-shirts at Six Flags, Kentucky Kingdom, at the age of fifteen. After working four consecutive seasons and picking up the basics in caricature, she fulfilled a childhood dream of waiting tables at quality restaurants. You may have experienced her friendly and attentive service at the Twig and Leaf, the Third Avenue Cafe, or the Bristol Bar and Grille downtown – all Louisville institutions.

Shortly after becoming a member of the International Society of Caricature Artists, Kelly was contacted by the president of that organization with an employment opportunity. She has gone on to become a top seller for one of the largest caricaturing services in the country, and manages a retail caricature and body art stand inside the beautiful Louisville Zoo. In addition to the seasonal work at the Zoo, Kelly is regularly contracted to entertain at events, and hired to create custom caricature and illustration artwork.