Don’t Worry…I’ll Show You What They Gave Me – Cynthia Ryan Kelly + Rodney

Cynthia Ryan Kelly with Rodney
Don’t Worry … I’ll Show You What They Gave Me, 2026
Tempera and acrylic on stretched canvas
12 x 12 inches

Market Value: $500.00
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In this collaborative composition, Chimpanzee Rodney began with swaths of vibrant vermilion paint, creating a solid, centralized form. Lexington-based artist Cynthia Ryan Kelly added contrasting streaks of blue and green that radiate toward the edges of the canvas, establishing a dynamic abstract backdrop against which she carefully rendered a portrait of Rodney himself.

Ryan Kelly is known for her boldly painted works that explore representation and abstraction. Still life, urban scenes, cloud formations, and patterns of architectural forms are all part of her free-wheeling vocabulary. Distinct bodies of work address more serious concerns including mountaintop removal and other environmental issues and ant-racism. She has exhibited at the Lexington Art League; The Pollinator Art Space/The Goat Farm in Atlanta; and Stola Contemporary Art in Chicago, among others.

At mealtime, Rodney’s high-pitched noises of excitement can be heard above everyone else. He really loves eating broccoli, iceberg lettuce, and strawberries.

About the artwork: The first photo shows the completed collaboration being auctioned. The second shows the original primate painting before Ingram added his contributions. Both images depict the same canvas; only the completed artwork is included.