Erica Qualey

Although Erica Qualey took a degree in Industrial Design from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, she soon found herself more interested in nature than industrial design.

She started painting landscapes after traveling cross-country. Instead of writing in a journal during the trip she took pictures. “People were looking at all these beautiful things around them but didn’t slow down enough to ‘see’ them,” said Erica. “So I started painting these pictures for them.”

Walking on Monhegan Island one day she noticed a group of cosmos dancing in the summer light, set against the dark shadow of a barn. “It caught my eye,” she said. “I want people to stop and look and make a personal connection.”

She finds a calm reflective quality not only in nature, but also in the paper, brushes and pigment she feels drawn toward.

Watercolor is Erica’s primary medium. “I like watercolor because to create the feeling of any light that comes into your painting, you have to use the paper. I feel the light is more true because it’s actually light reflecting off of a soft surface.”

“The relationship I have with water ultimately the water has control,” said Erica, who appreciates the element of surprise. When following the course of nature, there is no need to rigidly control the process.

“I want people just to stop and see how beautiful everything is,” said Erica, “if they put themselves in the mindset, and slow down enough to acknowledge it. If I stop and paint the roses, maybe someone will stop and smell the roses.”