Julia O'Malley-Keyes and her love of Motorcycles

When an artist is a sort of kind of public figure, people often wonder what you do in your private life.. When you are out of the spotlight, not at an event, and not promoting your art. The vast majority of artists are extremely private and are completely unwilling to share what they are really about with their collectors and other people that might be interested in their life. I am not one of those artists. I do my very best only because I really want to make myself accessible on a personal level not just a professional artistic level but a really and truly personal level.

Here's what I do in my spare time …although there is very little of it at this time of the year… when I do have an opportunity to grab a little bit of free time for myself …. At pushing 77 in October...I ride Harley Davidsons! I have had a 60-year love affair with big ass motorcycles ….the bigger the better… and the faster the better! This may come as a surprise to a lot of people because when you look …for instance at some of my floral paintings,  specifically the paintings of the peonies that have a fleeting existence in my garden in the spring, it doesn't seem possible that the person who paints those delicate blooms and creates an ultra-feminine image on canvas, would also be somebody who likes the idea of 900 lbs of metal underneath of her! Make no mistake I m not a” Harley Snob”.

I’ve owned a Triumph Bonneville… an excellent machine and a Norton 750 commando, which was quick, nimble, and a joy to ride……but I’ve always had a Harley in the garage alongside them. I just like the “rocking chair” feel of a Harley for long distances. Speaking of which, I’ve ridden cross country on four occasions, although not in recent years…I love a long distance run…the northern route up to Chicago from the east coast and riding the Canadian Rockies to Vancouver Island, can’t be beat for pure visual joy…or the southern US route…not so much fun…especially my first run out west through the American south,  the very same year that “Easy Rider” was screened and I must tell you that hearing “Y’all come back now…ya hear?” did not ring as an invitation from some old geezer in a pair of well-worn overalls…the dude scared the poo out of me and I skedaddled out of Alabama as fast as my 1963 Pan Head with a rigid frame and a jockey shift could take me!!! There was a real banjo playing background of “Deliverance” in his tone of voice, and I could easily visualize a shotgun out of a window with my blonde behind as the target!!!

So, it’s August 3, 2025 7:00PM EST and I’ve just returned home from a fantastic ride to Woods Hole, Chapoquoit Beach, Old Silver Beach and a quick stop for a little glass of Bourbon at “The Parrott” in Cataumet…on the menu this evening is fresh shucked corn…picked this morning at Tony Andrews Farm…organic Potato Salad and wild caught Salmon…and a bit more Bourbon hahahahaha! I’ll continue the “Why I love Motorcycles tomorrow, so stay tuned, folks! Ciao for Now! From QUISSETT!!! by Julia O’Malley-Keyes