Carmel artist paints on large scale

From humble beginnings on a farm, to a Ph.D., and an internationally collected artist, there is an underlying theme that has resonated throughout artist Patricia Qualls’ life: the privilege of lifelong learning, hard work and perseverance.

Qualls is a nationally and internationally known expressionist artist with art in collections in Switzerland as well as in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Phoenix, Dallas, Vail, Sun Valley and Palm Desert, among others. Her work is also part of the George Blair permanent collection at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.

Qualls’ paintings are large scale and bold. Some of her series’ emphasize powerful strokes of color and texture, while others are more subtle with washes of cream and shades of white. While her style is unique, some of her series could be likened to styles found in the great expressionist artists of the early-to-mid 20th century such as Sam Francis, Helen Frankenthaler, Hassel Smith, Joan Mitchell and Jackson Pollock.

She opened Patricia Qualls Contemporary Art, a 1,400-square-foot studio/gallery in 2008 in Carmel Valley Village in Monterey County. The studio/gallery’s large, open-beamed ceiling with 15-foot walls allowed her to produce the large scale paintings. 

“I love the physicality of painting large…There is something about being able to use my whole body, there is so much synergy…to have room to move…it’s like dance…to be fully engaged with my whole being. I don’t have to sit in a chair, and at the end of the day I feel like I’ve had a good days work. I am so blessed to be able to do this!”

For information, go to www.patriciaqualls.com