Awards & Honors
2026 — KOSCA, Seoul, South Korea
1st Place, Best Likeness
1st Place, Lovely Style
2025 — ISCA, Los Angeles, California
1st Place, Outstanding Color Technique
1st Place, Best Likeness
3rd Place, Best Live Event Style
7th Place, Caricature Artist of the Year
2025 — Japan Grand Prix, Tokyo, Japan
2nd Place, Best Likeness Competition
6th Place, Caricaturist of the Year
2023 — ISCA, Los Angeles, California
1st Place, Best Likeness
1st Place, Outstanding Cartoon Style
2nd Place, Live Event Style
2nd Place, Best Color Technique
2nd Place, Live Retail Portfolio
7th Place, Caricature Artist of the Year
2022 — ISCA, Orlando, Florida
1st Place, Best Color Technique
1st Place, Live Event Style
2nd Place, World’s Fastest Caricaturist
2nd Place, Best Likeness
2nd Place, Live Retail Portfolio
3rd Place, Monochromatic Technique
2021 — ISCA Mailbox Mayhem
2nd Place, Best Studio Piece
2016 — ISCA Korea
2nd Place, Best Likeness
2nd Place, Retail Caricature
2014 — ISCA
Guest of Honor Award, presented by Sebastian Krüger
1st Place, Best Likeness
Speaking, Teaching & Training
2026 — KOSCA, Seoul, South Korea
Guest Speaker
2026 — Over the Line Art, Seattle, Washington
Caricature Workshop Instructor
2016–2026 — Cali Caricature, Santa Cruz, CA
Artist Trainer
2025 — ISCA, Los Angeles, CA
PanPastel Workshop Demo
2021 — ToonHeadz Atlanta, Georgia
Caricature Workshop Instructor
2021 — ISCA Mailbox Mayhem
Guest Speaker on Color Theory
2015 — Japan Grand Prix, Tokyo, Japan
Guest Speaker
Education
University of Florida
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing, 2014
Minors in Business and Art History
Florence University of the Arts
Study Abroad Program, Summer 2013
Additional Honors
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, 2010–2014
Dean’s List
Selected Features & Exhibitions
2026
Caricature Drawing Made Easy by Melissa Lee
Featured Artist
2023
ToonHeadz Sketchbook Series: The Art of Kelly O’Brien
2020
Inktober artwork featured in Miley Cyrus’s NPR Tiny Desk performance
2018
The Ultimate Guide to Live Caricature
Featured Artist
2016
“Love Wins” featured in the poetry anthology
Love Is Love
2015
Kelly O’Brien: Solo Caricature Exhibition
Insa-dong, Seoul, South Korea
2014
Cloud 9
The Wooly, Gainesville, Florida
Student Juried Show
Dialogue Space, Gainesville, Florida
Teaser
Warphaus Gallery, Gainesville, Florida
2013
Unconventional Portraiture
Convergence Gallery, Gainesville, Florida
Curated by the Painting and Drawing Association, with accompanying catalog
JUST CATS
University of Florida Reitz Union Gallery
2012
Allusions to Illusion
University of Florida Reitz Union Gallery
Medical illustration work exhibited at Shands Hospital
Gainesville, Florida