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Comment: What's described here as "Official Obituary for Kelby D. Love". Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home. 7 February 2026.
may be an acceptable source for his parents, siblings and childhood. It's not an acceptable source for assertions about, for example, which periodicals published his works. That's because a Wikipedia article about a person must be based on reliable sources that are independent on that person. Hoary (talk) 21:31, 15 May 2026 (UTC)
Kelby Love | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 7, 1959 Elkhart, Indiana |
| Died | October 3, 2018 (aged 58) Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Education | Pratt Institute of Art |
| Known for | Murals |
| Notable work | Peace Mural in Elkhart, Indiana |
Kelby Love (November 7, 1959 – October 3, 2018) was an African American painter, sculptor, and teacher. Love was known for his community murals in his hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. His images of illustrated wildlife were widely published in journals and magazines.
Early life
editLove was born in Elkhart, Indiana to Roger and Glenda Love. He had two sisters, Jada and Joya. A childhood athlete, Love played football throughout his education, attending Roosevelt and Pierre Moran schools. In 1977, he graduated from Elkhart Central High School where he played the positions of running back and defensive back. Love declined an athletic scholarship to attend Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio. He later moved to New Jersey and attended Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York. In 1982, he sold his first painting.[1]
Career
editLove continued his art career outside Elkhart and created paintings, sculptures, and murals. His artwork was published in Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, National Geographic, Essence, and Ebony magazines.[1] He exhibited in the Arizona Fine Art Expo and taught at the Scottsdale Artists’ School. He also exhibited at the Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival, Arizona State University, and many other art expos worldwide.[1][2]
Murals
editLove created five murals in Elkhart; the best-known was the Peace Mural at the corner of Main and Prairie streets.[3] During the summer of 1996, Love was inspired by Violence Intervention Project, a partner in Drop Your Guns, to create a community mural called the Peace Mural. Drop Your Guns was an initiative started by the family of John Trevor Frangis, an Elkhart teenager killed by gun violence in 1993. Love received grant money from the Elkhart city government with the dream of producing "positive images about the community".[4] Love incorporated symbols that supported both education and tolerance. When asked about the project he said, "This is for people I care for. I've had a lot of friends die from being shot." In 2013, twenty years after the mural was painted, it was still a symbol of the community as an Elkhart landmark and remained graffiti free.[4] Love continued his mural work in Elkhart, including a mural that depicted the history of Elkhart, Martin Luther King, and the world.[3]
Legacy
editLove died at the age of 58 in 2018.[1]
When the area of the Peace Mural was set for redevelopment, Love's mother, Glenda, was vocal in the effort to save the mural. She stated, "It is the only legacy that the city has of his... I think the city owes this to the black community. The black community in Elkhart doesn't get the privilege of being recognized."[4] Love's other murals had all been demolished largely due to redevelopment projects.
The building was purchased by the city commission in 2020. While there was an effort to save the mural, the structural issues of the building were deemed too severe, and it was demolished in 2024. A digital image of the building was created by the city to preserve the mural and Love's message of hope within his community.[5] Later in 2024, the "Love Plaza" was announced at the site where the Peace Mural once stood. The new development is planned to both honor Love's legacy and commemorate the Peace Mural.[6] A meeting room at the Pierre Moran Branch of the Elkhart Public Library was dedicated in honor of Kelby Love in 2024.[7][8]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 "Official Obituary for Kelby D. Love". Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home. 7 February 2026.
- ↑ "Kelby Love's wildlife art featured at ASU Gammage". Arizona State University. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- 1 2 Nekeisha, Alexis; Pitts, Jamie (June 2025). What Happened at Benham West. Wolfson Press. ISBN 9781950066230.
- 1 2 3 "Famous Kelby Love mural defined community response to gun violence". Elkhart Public Library. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ WNDU. com and Felicia Michelle (2024-03-11). "'He can paint': Mother of late Elkhart artist honors memory before mural demolition". wndu.com. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Elkhart to honor Kelby Love with new plaza at former mural site". WSBT. 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Elkhart Public Library Pierre Moran Branch dedicates meeting rooms to two Elkhart icons". WSBT. 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ↑ "Life achievements of Ben Barnes and Kelby Love remembered at Pierre Moran Branch". Elkhart Public Library. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
Category:African-American muralists Category:American muralists Category:People from Elkhart, Indiana Category:1959 births Category:2018 deaths Category:21st-century African-American artists Category:21st-century American artists Category:21st-century American male artists Category:20th-century African-American artists Category:20th-century American artists Category:20th-century American male artists
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