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
Love 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 relocated to New Jersey and attended Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York. In 1982, he sold his first painting.[1]
Career
Love continued his art career outside of Elkhart and created paintings, sculptures, and murals. His artwork was published in Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, National Geographic, Essence, and Ebony magazines.[1] Love was a featured artist in the Arizona Fine Art Expo and shared his skills as an instructor at the Scottsdale Artists’ School. In addition, he exhibited his art at the Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival, Arizona State University, and many other Art Expos worldwide.[1][2]
Murals
Throughout his career, Love created five murals in Elkhart; his most well-known mural 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 teenage killed by gun violence in 1993. He 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
Love 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 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]
