January Thaw 1987

Robert Qualters made this painting, January Thaw, with oil on canvas, and you can almost feel the energy of the city radiating from the surface. Qualters’ paint handling is so physical, he dives right into the thick of things, not afraid to let the brushstrokes pile up and make a bit of a mess. Looking at the lower part of the painting, at that grid of tiles, it’s like the painting is breathing. You can see the layering and the blending of colors, the way he lets the pinks and oranges peek through the blues and grays. It’s not just about representing something, it’s about the pure joy of pushing paint around and seeing what happens. Qualters reminds me of Fairfield Porter; he captures the everyday, making it glow with a kind of humble beauty. His work is a testament to the idea that art is a conversation, and that each painting is just one step in an ongoing process of discovery. It's not about answers, but about constantly asking questions.