Afternoon Delight – Kristy McNelly – 18″ x 14″ – Oil on Canvas

Kristy McNelly

Born on a farm in Fremont, Michigan, Kristy McNelly’s early days were spent riding horses and playing in the woods along the creek. Art has been a long pastime since childhood. It is that love for nature and animals that is still carried into her work today as an oil painting artist. Kristy graduated from Michigan State University and moved to Bergheim, Texas, a little town on the north side of San Antonio. After working as a map designer for the Gousha Mapping Company, Kristy started her own graphic design firm called Polonyx. In 1999, Kristy invented a urethane horseshoe called Ground Control Horseshoes, in which she and her husband, Chuck McNelly sell worldwide. All through the years, Kristy has continued to paint, showing her art locally and taking art workshops to further her skills. She shows nationally and has exhibited in Kansas, Arizona, Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin. Her artwork was chosen as the featured image for the Kansas Equifest in 2025. A volunteer director of the AgriCultural Museum and Arts Center in Boerne, Texas since 2002, Kristy enjoys putting on events and antique tractor pulls and driving her antique 1950 Ford Truck called “Seabiscuit”.  Every year Kristy and Chuck enjoy taking road trips back to Michigan to visit family and also to tour their favorite vacation spot, Mackinac Island, where Kristy’s many subjects for her paintings have been inspired. She had the winning artwork for the 77^th Lilac Festival poster in 2025 and took second place in 2023. Another subject that inspires Kristy’s art is the Charreada, a Mexican Rodeo-like event that takes place in San Antonio.  The competition showcases horsemanship, roping skills, and traditional ranching practices. Kristy also paints scenes along the popular San Antonio Riverwalk. The colorful Viva Fiesta themed images are filled with boats, the San Antonio River, horses and dancers as they celebrate the cultural traditions of Old Mexico.