he entered the Cleveland School of Art, studying under painter Henry Keller. After graduating, she served as an instructor there until 1904, when she left to begin work as a commercial artist. She helped found the Cleveland Women's Art Club in 1912, and exhibited there throughout her career.
Kelly's paintings can be found in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. She was a regular participant in the museum's May Show, an annual juried exhibition of works by Northeast Ohio artists. She exhibited 151 paintings there between 1919 and 1950, winning multiple awards.
