The city of Indianapolis is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Kevin McKelvey, a beloved artist, poet, educator, father, and community visionary who passed away in a tragic accident.
Kevin’s death leaves behind an irreplaceable void in the lives of his family, friends, students, and the many communities he touched through his art and action. He was a man who truly lived his purpose—integrating creativity, ecology, education, and compassion in everything he did.
For 18 years, Kevin was an integral part of Big Car Collaborative, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to using art as a means of building stronger communities. His work, often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with socially engaged practice, went far beyond traditional mediums.
Kevin didn’t just make art—he grew it. Literally. From converting a mall parking lot into fertile ground sprouting Thai basil and okra to sledgehammering old walls and laying pastel pavers for the Indianapolis Bee Sanctuary, Kevin’s projects were as physical as they were philosophical.
He helped transform Big Car’s Tube Factory from a derelict building into a thriving art and cultural hub—one board, one stone, one community member at a time. His fingerprints are embedded not only in the architecture and gardens of the campus but also in the hearts of every volunteer, student, and artist he worked beside.
Kevin’s art was about people and place. He built bocce courts so neighbors could connect. He led workshops in small towns and state parks, often in basements of Carnegie libraries or around campfires, always sparking conversation and connection.
Outside of Big Car, Kevin was a tenured professor in the English Department at the University of Indianapolis, where he co-founded and directed a rare graduate program in social practice art and placemaking.
His students admired his warmth, brilliance, and willingness to challenge the boundaries of traditional education. He nurtured new generations of thinkers and doers, always leading by example.
A published poet, Kevin’s writing was steeped in reverence for the natural world, Indiana’s rural landscapes, and the everyday poetry of life. His verses captured everything from farm fields and forest trails to the quiet beauty of birds, bugs, and even gas stations.
His words were not just read—they were lived, rooted in the same soil he turned and tended in his gardens. Kevin was a father above all else, lovingly devoted to his children.
He was a dependable presence for his family, especially his father and sister, and never hesitated to give of himself to those he loved. His time was precious, yet he gave it freely—building, teaching, writing, mentoring, and loving all at once.
Just recently, Kevin traveled to South America for a friend’s wedding—another act of connection and curiosity. Ever the cycling enthusiast, part of his excitement for the trip was the chance to visit a local bike shop run by a former Colombian pro cyclist he admired.
Cycling was one of his great passions, and he would often take to the backroads on his oversized road bike, embracing every winding lane, beer stop, and unexpected adventure along the way.
Even amid all his endeavors, Kevin made time for his yearly ritual of watching the Tour de France, often catching up on breakaways and finishes in the early morning hours. Whether grading papers, cooking, fixing something around the house, or writing a poem—he somehow found time for it all. He truly embodied a life of rich purpose and intentional presence.
Kevin McKelvey lived generously, creatively, and fully. His legacy will live on in gardens and poems, buildings and ideas, students and communities. He built things that last. He built things that mattered.
He will be missed beyond measure.
