Kelly McConnell Cox was born in Lima, Pennsylvania in 1973 and grew up in Chester County. Art and music runs in her family. Kelly's artistic ability first appeared at age six in a portrait she drew of her three older brothers. From grade school through high school, she won awards at local art shows for her pastel and watercolor portraits. Kelly's professional training began as an undergraduate at the University of Delaware in Newark, where she received awards for her artistic achievement and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Soon after, she earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the prestigious Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

   Her mentor, Grace Hartigan, helped Kelly refine her basic interest in light and the human form into more meaningful situations within the canvas space. It wasn't until Kelly returned to her roots in Chester County, PA that she found her painting voice. Her work portrays her local surroundings and the Jersey Shore (where she vacations every summer). Her love of animals and open space is revealed in her most recent work. Kelly is also known for her striking commissioned portraits of people and pets. After a recent eye-opening trip to Tanzania, Africa, Kelly plans to paint exotic animals in their natural habitat. Kelly has been painting professionally since 1999 and exhibits her work in galleries throughout the Tri-State area, including the Annapolis Marine Art Gallery.