Joe Kelly established Kelly Custom Furniture and Cabinetry on Butler Street in 1990.
Art As Business
Joe Kelly is an artist and craftsman. He established his business on Butler Street thirty years ago, in 1990. His business, Kelly Custom Furniture & Cabinetry, works with clients to create and build beautiful and functional living and commercial spaces. With a professional and talented staff of designers and craftsmen, KCFC gives great attention to each and every detail of every project. Over the years he has given employment to many young talented artists, many of who have purchased homes in Pittsburgh's neighborhoods.
Community Development
An early and dedicated force behind the re-development of Lawrenceville, Joe Kelly, is a founding member of the Lawrenceville Corporation, and served as president for many years. He is also the creator of the “16:62 Design Zone”, a very successful marketing and re-branding program that became a turning point in the public’s perception of Lawrenceville. Mr. Kelly remains on the Board of Directors of the LC and continues to contribute to the future development of the neighborhood.
Joe stands behind the bar at The Allegheny WIne Mixer, showcasing one of his many commercial designs.
Joe is side by side with famed furniture designer Mira Nakashima. In 1995, Nakashima was specially commissioned to design and construct a second Peace Altar for Russia, dedicated at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City and in 1996, she designed the construction of a third Peace Altar for Auroville, India.
Finally, he is pictured on-site with Sam Maloof. Maloof's work is in the collections of several major American museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.[6] In 1985 he was awarded a MacArthur "Genius" grant. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan have both owned Maloof rockers.