Sara qualey

"My paintings celebrate the simple joys of everyday life."

Dark backgrounds set the stage for dramatic lighting options. The Dutch masters used this technique and called it chiaroscuro. Using dark transparent colors helps give a feeling of depth. I thin the dark colors and wash them onto the canvas leaving drips and brush strokes. Then I use opaque colors for the objects and try to make them "emerge" from the darkness. "Limes, Plates, Pitcher" 18" x 14", oil on linen panel "Lemons & Chinese Bowl" 18" x 14", oil on linen panel, SOLD "Persimmons…

We're celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Blue Moon Art Tour this Labor Day weekend - Saturday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 4th from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm both days. Sara Balbin, Diana Randolph, Reg Behrends and I will open our studios and have artwork for sale, refreshments, door prizes and demonstrations at scheduled times on both days. In my demonstration, I will explain how I determine the key colors and shapes in a flower. Then I will begin a floral painting in oil to show…

Staying home in response to the pandemic has been interesting for Bruce and me. In some ways things are the same. We take walks in the woods, ride our bikes, I spend time in the studio and Bruce practices his bass. Of course, many other things are different. We really miss getting together with our family and friends. My artist friends and I decided to keep our art dialogue going by sharing photos of the artwork we're making during this time of isolation. Bruce dubbed this "Art Apart". I…

Winter is a good time to look through old notes and sketches for ideas that were put on hold. This composition is one I had been thinking about for awhile. It was fun to break from my usual canvas proportions and work on this tall narrow canvas. I also tried a palette knife as well as brushes for the background which made an interesting texture. When I was arranging the bag and oranges and working on the the painting, I was thinking about circles. Now I'm seeing lots of triangles in the…

My friend Stacey raises chickens that lay the most beautiful colored eggs. The gray carton was a perfect neutral background for showing off the variety of muted greens, blues, and rosy browns of the eggs. The pale yellow of my favorite tea mug complimented these soft colors. The eggs were delicious, too! "Farm Eggs and Tea Cup", 12"x 9", oil on linen, SOLD

Boots and shoes are favorite subjects of mine. After years of wear, they seem to conform to the shape of the owner and...

The past months have been filled with travels and visits to family and friends. It has been great to connect with everyone. It has meant a little less time in the studio, but I still love to paint. I'm back in the studio. Inspired by my mother's large paintings, I'm working on some large canvases as well as smaller sizes. I've been studying the interior/still life paintings of Bonnard. "Blue Chair" was inspired by his work. I even included a cat! "Blue Chair" 40" x 30", oil on wrapped linen…

It's fun to experiment and push myself in new directions. While this is a still life, it has a certain abstract quality because of the composition, size and texture. I resurfaced an existing canvas with thick white oil paint to achieve a textured surface. After the base coat had dried, I painted with my usual oil painting brushes as well as a palette knife and oil sticks. Because it is difficult to get a sense of the texture in a photo, I have included a detail shot. "Scarf & Glass" 30" x…